Towards The Heaven
by HoNdeR
Summary: I'm back People! So Naruto and a trio of friends leave Konoha to live in a land unknown by any, mentioned only in legend. Amidst the journey Naruto will make new friends, amidst the adventure anything can, and will, happen... NaruHina main, SasuSaku side.
1. Chapter 1: Lost in Hell

Disclaimer: I've checked every paper I have in my house, yet I found none that states me as owner of the Naruto series. (But I own this story xD)

**A/N: HoNdeR All Mighty is back baby! Here begins another NaruHina multi-chaptered story! I think it will satisfy all these souls out there that hunger for NaruHina xD! Anyway, I want to thank my Beta, bubmblemark for editing my story. He hasn't changed something much from the original script, but the little changes he has done seemed quite fitting to me. I'd also recommend his story, 'This time for Hinata' for it is one of the few well written stories you can find my favorites, it is there. In conclusion, here is the whole story summary**

_**Summary: Jiraya is dead. He fell in the battle against Akatsuki, were the whole conspiracy had come to an end, except Itachi and Kisame who didn't give the present in the battle. Naruto now contemplates on his life in Konoha and his future. The Hokage will give him the motive to do what he had hidden in the abyss of his mind. He will leave Konoha, but not alone. Three friends will follow him in this epic adventure. Epic, for the unexpected... always lurks around... **_

_**Will Naruto and his friends find a better life?**_

_**Towards The Heaven**_

_**Chapter1: Lost In Hell**_

Life was cruel… in more ways than one…

A lonely blond haired teen was lying down on the grass at Konoha's main park. The light blue of the sky was painted with plenty of white entities, what people came to refer as clouds. Titling his head to the left…

A group of children were playing with a ball, laughing and teasing each other. One of them tripped over the ball, falling to the ground. Even so, another child managed to get the ball and score. His team cheered while the others neared their fallen teammate.

They didn't yell, scorn, or tease him. In truth, they helped the boy to his feet, patted him on the back, then smiled and laughed reassuringly. The boy seemed relieved that his friends thought of his 'accident' as something funny.

'_Friends…'_

The blond turned his gaze to the light blue sky once more, countless thoughts racing in his mind. Friends… something he could think of as a joke when he was a kid. He grew up with no friends… but no matter how he longed for such a relationship, it never came in his childhood years. It was until his graduation at the academy that he finally made a few, the first ones being Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura. Well… to tell the truth, at first they weren't even his friends really. They saw him as a teammate. But with the time they spent together, they came closer, bonds tightening with the passage of time. He smirked…

He remembered asking Sakura out on a date every now and then, her response being a good punch in the face or a down straight denial. He sighed. Well, he could always try, wouldn't he?

She was a good friend now, being his teammate for so long and such. And Sasuke was a funny situation too…

Uchiha Sasuke… at first, his rival, later on, his brother. Though the Uchiha wouldn't admit a thing, Naruto knew that Sasuke was seeing him the same way.

Funny… now that he thought about it… it was as if becoming a ninja practically changed his life, maybe for the better?

He ran names through his mind, each person he knew and was close to him, one way or another.

Kiba: Always energetic but being an ass at the same time, provoking Naruto to mindless arguements and long serries of curses.

Shino: Not really a friend, but neither neutral. Shino was someone that you could go in search for guidance at times of peril, since his logic and way of finding solutions was one of a kind.

Shikamaru: Lazy. That's all. Yes, he's a genius, but he is just lazy, the world around him being nothing but troublesome. Nevertheless, he could be your best friend when needed, a companion you can turn towards and know that when you smile, he is more likely to smile back.

Neji: Somehow the same as Sasuke, in the attitude that is. Neji was a lot warmer person after Naruto defeated him in the Chuunin exams, three years ago. Yet again, Neji was like a statue of emotionlessness, though he didn't hesitate to let his feelings guide his body when the company of friends was gathered.

Lee: God was he energetic. If Naruto didn't know better, Lee was just like him, except the absence of fashion sense of course. He chuckled at this, remembering his younger self, when he was wearing that orange jumpsuit that screamed 'Here I am! Kill me!' to any hostile.

Ino: Wasn't much of a friend. But again, he had found himself at her flower shop plenty of times. He snickered lightly to himself, remembering the reason of why he went to her work place. Jiraiya wasn't allowed there, so he usually sent his little apprentice in his place. Too bad the old pervert thought that Tsunade could fall for a few flowers…

Tenten: He barely knew the girl… NEXT!

Hinata: She was always kind of weird around him, always blushing and stuttering. A week ago, his curiosity had gotten the better of him, so he silently followed her around, wanting to see if the Hyuuga heiress really had a problem or something. Surprised he was, that when she talked to any other male, her face wasn't flushed at all! Not even the slightest. Yet she still had a very little stutter and her always gentle attitude. So, was she only blushing around him? Weird. Maybe he could talk to her about it later

Truth be told, the only reason he thought about investigating the matter was because that particular day that he followed her, she was blushing like a tomato when he leaned close to her to whisper something. They had returned from a mission that day, and as always he was overexcited, thoughts of long training flouding his mind.

Strange… he had many missions with Hinata lately, as if the Hokage purposely put them together… another add in the 'Weird Things' list.

Nevertheless, he finally understood that she blushed and stuttered like this only around him. Strange it was... Maybe she was allergic to him or something, since she sometimes fainted. Yet, he found it uncomfortable of not being able to stay close to her, to lose a friend... so he shoved the thought away. Yet again, how could he really know? Even as he had spent lots of time with the Hyuuga Heiress, little did he know about her really, for she never opened up... never talked much. The shy kind of person, he guessed.

Well, he could always hold a conversation over the matter later, right?

Leaving the world of thoughts, he turned his head to the right, and his gaze immediately fell on a small boy, surrounded by a few older ones. Were they bullying him…?

He slowly sat up, his gaze focused on the group of children. Some seemed to laugh as the little boy in the middle was sitting with its knees brought to its chest and its hands wrapped around them. Naruto frowned…

He slowly stood up and walked towards the kids…

"Haha! You're just a weak little fool! Give up! You'll never be a ninja!" one of the older kids said, laughing, sadistic joy in the pain he caused. The little boy seemed to flinch. He looked up at the older kids. It was evident that he was crying, puffy brown gazing at the towering hostiles.

The little kid was about to protest when a blond teen broke the circle, an angry stare over the group of children

"What's going on here?" he asked. The older kids looked up at him, since he was quite taller

"Mind your own business mister." One of the kids snapped rudely. Naruto sent glares at the kid "This is, my business" he said and the boy could feel a shiver running down his spine. Naruto smirked. He could thank Sasuke later for this. The cold tone was useful in a few occasions. "Uhah, so you're another weakling like this one over here" the same boy stated as it was the most obvious thing in the world, though any ninja with at least a bit of mind could see that it was an attempt to hide its fear... a pathetic one. Naruto snickered

"Look who's talking" he said and flickered the kid on the forehead, sending him flying towards the wall. He smirked again. Sakura had taught him some tricks she had taken from Tsunade, like the chakra enhanced flicker on the forehead, a marvelous way of dealing with little punks.

The kid, fortunately for itself, didn't smash on the wall, but stopped a few feet away from it. Everyone stared in fear and awe at the blond teen. Naruto kept his smirk on "Now, if you please… get out of here!" he shouted and the kids were gone in a flash, leaving only Naruto and the little boy behind.

Naruto dropped his cold expression and looked at the little kid. A smile crept on his face as he reached his hand out for the boy to take. The little one hesitantly accepted the hand and Naruto helped him stand.

"Look kid, don't let them guide your dreams. You are what you believe you are. No one is weak unless they let themselves believe it. If you believe what they say, then you will become what they think you are. Do me a favor and prove them wrong" he said, his smile unwavering. Now the little one nodded and smiled himself. "Thank you…" the boy trailed off as he realized he didn't even know who the teen was. Naruto grinned "Uzumaki Naruto! Believe it!" he said and gave the kid a thumb's up. The boy smiled and nodded "Arigato, Naruto" he said and hugged the teen's legs, since he was much taller.

Naruto just patted the kid on the head, who backed away and left, waving a hand in goodbye at the blond. The teen couldn't help but feel proud that he helped in the development of a future shinobi…

It was then that a figure dressed in a black outfit got close to him, his high collar hiding his neck while his bandaged hands were shoved in his pockets "Looks like the dobe can give a speech" he said, his voice cold and monotone, yet mock was evident.

Naruto grinned widely, knowing exactly who it was. "Well, better than not talking at all ne teme?" he said and looked back at the one he came to call 'brother'.

The referred person gave a 'Hn', letting Naruto know that he heard his answer. Naruto's grin was wide as ever "So teme, want to train or something?" he asked and the other teen smirked. "Ok, dobe, though we should get Hinata and Sakura with us too, we need 'em for some partner training" he said and his smirk melted in a wide grin. Naruto only nodded "Alright, you get Sakura, I get Hinata" he replied and Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

He thought his blond friend would probably go after Sakura, since it was most unlikely that he would hesitate to ask her on a date or something "Why's that dobe?" he asked. It was Naruto's turn to raise an eyebrow "What do you mean?" he asked slyly "Don't you want to see some pink today?" he said and laughed. Before Sasuke could protest, Naruto had already leapt away.

Sasuke turned his gaze away from the blond's fleeting back. He turned around and started walking towards Sakura's house after letting out his usual 'Hn'. '_Dobe…'_ he thought…

XxxxX

Now, why did they want Hinata in their training?

Simple.

Though Naruto was still a Genin, all the others were Chuunin, Naruto still being low in rank due to his 3 year absence with Jiraya. So, since Kakashi had plenty of work to do, Tsunade needed to replace him with someone. But why Hinata? Let us take a look at the blond's memory…

_Flashback_

Naruto walked out of the Hokage tower, clearly irritated. "Damn it!" he shouted to no one in particular. Kakashi had left for a LONG mission and now his team would be short by a member. He had to find someone, and quick.

Searching around the streets of Konoha for his friends, he was even more irritated that he couldn't find anyone. Turning around a corner, his eye caught the familiar sight of an ink-blue haired head. He smiled widely at himself, already knowing who it was…

"Oi! Hinata-chan!" he exclaimed happily and said lavender eyed girl turned to look at him as her walking came to a halt, blushing of course. Naruto ignored the blush. It was like natural to her anyway.

"H-Hello, N-Naruto-kun" she said shyly and Naruto grinned. It was so natural of her to stutter lightly. "Hinata-chan, I'm looking for a member for my team! Kakashi-sensei is out for a loooong mission, so we need someone! Sai is also out due to ANBU missions along with captain Yamato" he said and looked down sadly.

Hinata's face immediately brightened, though he didn't notice it for he was looking down of course. That was her chance! Her chance to be close to Naruto-kun!

Naruto looked up at her, expecting an answer. When he realized that all she did was stare at him, he sighed "Ok, I understand, you're busy and such…" he was cut off as Hinata violently shook her head. "No, no Naruto-kun, it's not that. I'd be happy to join your team" she said and blushed. Naruto's face immediately brightened

"Great!" he exclaimed happily and embraced Hinata in a bear hug. The poor girl blushed furiously, her mind going on overload at the feeling of Naruto hugging her. Well, the next thing she did was another one that Naruto thought as a natural thing for her to do.

She fainted

He realized she had fainted when he let her go, but her body immediately started falling. He caught her mid air, just in time to stop a nice impact with the ground. He was surprised at how light she was, as if she weighted no more than a wooden box. Strange, she seemed fat with that bulky jacket of hers, yet he knew she wasn't, not at all! Come on, how could a kunoichi with such grace in movements and flexible body be fat?

He smiled and took her in his arms, lifting her up bridal-style and moving towards Sasuke's apartment. They would gather Sakura too later…

_End Flashback_

Hinata didn't mind leaving her team for a while. Kiba had work to do with the Inuzuka hounds while Shino was out of the Fire country, looking for some rare species of bugs with his father. She was so happy that she was actually on the same team with Naruto. Even if she hadn't admitted her love yet, she knew that him being close could at least let her see him more. She still remembered the first time they assembled. Well, at least 'they' assembled, as she was brought there by Naruto…

As if on queue, the named blond popped out of nowhere right in front of her. She stared wide eyed as his face was mare inches from her own. And… it was upside down…

He was hanging from a tree right next to her. And she was only walking down the alley when he popped out of nowhere. She stared, surprised at his smiling face, still not believing that he was this close. She was amazed that her blush didn't make him sweat from the heat. "N-Naruto…" she whispered. "That's me!" he exclaimed happily and she fell backwards, not from the shout, but from her legs that couldn't really keep her standing from the nervousness that had enveloped her. Naruto looked at her worriedly as he jumped down. "Oi, you don't look well. Your face is red" he said and grinned widely. "Anyway, no time to waste! Come on!" he said and lifted her up bridal-style, earning an 'Eep' from the girl who instinctively circled her arms around his neck, holding tight on him. He grinned and leapt away… there wasn't any other girl who would let him do that, and he liked it…

XxxxX

Naruto kicked the door to Sasuke's apartment open. "Oi, teme! Got one!" he said and looked down at Hinata, who was blushing furiously and looking around wide eyed. He grinned

"Dobe, can you stop breaking my door?" asked an irritated Sasuke as he walked in the living room from the kitchen. It was then that Naruto realized he almost destroyed the poor wooden object. He was ready to bring his hand behind his head, something he had come to do by instinct, but he stopped himself in the last moment, realizing he still held Hinata

"Oh, that. Yep, sorry teme" he said and walked in, Hinata still blushing in his arms. Sasuke raised an eyebrow as he closed the door "So, you like her so much you don't want to drop her dobe?" he said with a smirk. Naruto immediately stiffened and gently let Hinata's feet touch the floor. When she could stand, he slowly turned to Sasuke with a smirk

"Look who's talking. Your favorite food is cherries!" he said, pointing a finger at his onyx haired brother. (Sakura=Cherry blossoms- or cherries... anyway). Sasuke 'Hned' and shrugged, his smirk never fading

"At least cherries are eatable. You can't eat lavender's now, can you dobe?" he countered. It was then that he noticed Hinata standing behind the blond, her face red as ever. He snickered

Naruto was also blushing, not so much though. Hinata was on the verge of fainting '_N-Naruto-kun likes me?_' that thought was racing in her mind like a tornado. He didn't deny it, so did he accept it?

"Yeah, yeah anyway. Where's Sakura-chan?!" he asked excitedly and Hinata felt her heart drop. He still liked Sakura…

It was then that the pink haired kunoichi decided to come in from the kitchen. Naruto's attention was immediately caught at the sight of his teammate. Hinata studied his every move, as if every step he took towards the pink-haired girl was another punishment for her, another ache for her heart, another pain she had to endure…

"Oi Sakura-chan! Want to go…" he was cut off by a fuming Sakura "No" she stated and looked away in annoyance. Naruto turned to look at Sasuke, whose eyebrow was also twitching. Naruto smirked "I was going to ask if you wanted to come and train with us, but if you're busy…" he said and snickered. Turning to look at Sakura again, she was staring wide eyed…

"What? Idiot! What do you think I'm doing here in the first place?" she said in rage, raising her fist. Naruto knew the limits. If he didn't want a punch in the face, he had to stop now

"Yosh! Well, since we are all here, let's go!" he shouted and burst out of the window, heading towards team 7's training ground as usual. Both Sasuke and Sakura sighed. "How the hell did you fall for that guy?" Sakura asked as she looked at Hinata, who was just standing next to where Naruto once was. She let out an 'Eep!' of surprise.

Both teens smirked. "Come on, it's no big secret you love him" Sasuke said and snickered "Too bad the dobe must be the only one in the village that doesn't know" he said and kept snickering while both girls sighed.

"Don't worry Hinata, he may be an idiot, but he'll find out sooner or later. Just, stay close to him okay?" she said and Hinata only nodded. They themselves had found out about her crush from their first day of training together. They could try and help her, but the only way to make the dobe understand was to tell him straight in the face. Well, they could always wait, couldn't they…?

XxxxX

Naruto sat down, his back on the log behind him. He was thinking…

He was glad that he had friends… yet again, this hell that enveloped him…

He had worked so hard, he had tried so much… yet again the villagers didn't acknowledge him, they despised him even now. What else could be done? Become Hokage? Again, they would hate him, for no obvious reason. So foolish they were, not understanding even their own reasons. But he couldn't change their minds, nor could he force them to like him. He lived nearly isolated… he was in hell, and it was named Konoha…

He wanted to cry, but his pride didn't allow him. Yes, he was in a place were everyone saw him as a monster. Well, not everyone, his friends didn't see him that way. Now that he thought about it, the only ones that were close to him were Sasuke and Sakura. Hinata too, she was always kind and gentle. Now that he thought about it, she was never harsh to him, when he did something stupid, she wouldn't punch him like Sakura did. Instead, she would tell him it was alright. He smiled. She was like an angel in this hell. She was lost too, an angel that his wings were cut, and she had fallen from the skies down here, looking for someone to help her stand again.

But his sorrow grew… if anyone in this village cared for him, that would be Sakura, Sasuke, Kakashi and Tsunade. These were the ones close to him. Well, everyone now knew about him being a Jinchuuriki, but their attitudes didn't really change. He didn't know why, but he was happy that everyone treated him the same, even Hinata was a little surprised at first, but all she had done was hug him and tell him it was alright. Joy filled him once more. She had the most affectionate reaction. The others could just stare at him in disbelief or say something funny. Maybe… she cared?

Thrown out of his thoughts he was, when three figures approached him. Looking up, he saw a smirking Sasuke, a grinning Sakura, and a blushing, yet smiling Hinata. He grinned…

It had been three hours with this four training constantly. Sakura could help them with basic medical Jutsu so that they would heal most common wounds. Sasuke would help them build up their speed, since he was the fastest in the group. Hinata would help with chakra control. Being a Byakugan user required one to be master in that area. And Naruto… well he helped build up the team's stamina and chakra stores, being the one with almost limitless ones on both…

They all sat down at the shadows of a tree, enjoying the light breeze. It would be lunchtime in about half an hour…

Naruto sat down between Sasuke and Hinata, the last having Sakura next to her. "So, what do you think guys?!" he asked excitedly. Sasuke 'Hned', Hinata giggled and Sakura laughed her head off. Naruto glared at all of them, a bit of anger in his gaze "What's so funny?"

"It's just… it's just…" Sakura tried to say between her laughs. Hinata had stopped giggling by the way

"It's just that it is funny using 'A thousand years of pain' on yourself Naruto-kun" she said and continued giggling. Naruto frowned "Oh that's it? I could use one of you as example instead of a clone you know, Hinata-chan" he said and smirked. He was calling her –chan from the moment he asked her to come in his team.

Hinata blushed furiously, imagining Naruto using that… technique… on her…

It was then that Kakashi chose the magical moment to appear in a poof of smoke. He had returned from his LONG mission yesterday, but Tsunade kept their new team assembled, since the silver haired Jounin had work to do with the ANBU. "Yo" he greeted, raising a hand while the other held his 'Icha Icha' book in front of his face. Naruto sweat dropped "Ah, Kakashi-sensei, you never leave that book away from your hand, do you?" he asked, pointing a finger at his perverted sensei.

"Nope" he simply answered as he slowly lowered the book to give Naruto a look that said 'I'm bored to hell'. The teen fell back, anime style

Naruto sat up in his position once more, glaring at his sensei.

"So, what are you doing here sensei?" Sakura asked worriedly. Kakashi usually appeared either to train them, or give a mission. Kakashi's gaze locked on Naruto, sorrow taking over for a brief moment

"Naruto… Tsunade-sama wants… to see you" he said and looked away. Naruto raised an eyebrow "See me? What for?" he asked. Kakashi avoided looking at him. "Sorry Naruto… you'll have to ask her yourself…" he said and poofed out of existence. Naruto sweat dropped.

He looked at his friends "Alright! Who's with me?" he asked happily and everyone nodded. Whatever it was, they would be there for him…

XxxxX

Ten minutes later, they were all standing before the doors of the Hokage's office. Naruto was ready to bark in, yelling and all, but he was interrupted as Shizune beat him to it, opening the door before he could even knock. Her eyes went wide as she saw his friends also being there, but her look changed in one of grief…

Everyone turned to look at the Hokage who sat at the other side of the room, behind her desk. Tsunade eyed all of them "Come in everyone." She ordered and they quickly walked in. Everyone knew that it was wise not to provoke the Hokage's wrath…

"It concerns you all anyway…" she said and looked down sadly

They didn't sit. They noticed that the chairs usually residing at the other side of Tsunade's desk were absent, but the cracks on the walls gave a hint of what must have happened…

Tsunade sighed. It was then that they really noticed her existence, since they were all examining the various cracks spread across the walls of her office. Naruto, of course, was the first to break the silence

"So what did you want me for, Tsunade-Obaa-chan?! A mission? A clean up? More Sa'ke?" he asked excitedly as he bounced around. It took a bump on the head form both Sakura and Sasuke to make him stand down. Sasuke mumbled a 'dobe' while Sakura held herself the best she could so she wouldn't send him flying across the room. Hinata was just worriedly looking at them...

After Naruto calmed down, it was just then that they noticed a tear had made its way down the Hokage's cheek, her expression, a sad smile.

"Why are you crying baa-chan?" Naruto asked worriedly. The others stared at the Hokage in amazement. It was rare for her to show weakness

"It's… just that…I'll miss this thing…" she whispered the last part to herself as she looked away. Naruto's worry grew even more. The others looked between Naruto and the Hokage, probably grabbing a picture of what the whole thing was about.

"Baa-chan…" Naruto said quietly. What could make the Hokage look like that?! Jiraya was already gone. He knew his loss was a great strike to her, but what was she crying for now? What could make her…

"Naruto… first of all, I want you to understand that I hate what I'm going to tell you." She said, another tear falling down her cheek as she looked at the blond. Naruto's heart was beating like crazy. What did she mean?

He only nodded, no words coming out of his mouth. The others now dreaded every second. Tsunade couldn't really stand it…

"The… council… they want to… kill you…" she whispered the last part to herself again, looking down at her desk as more tears made their way down her cheek.

"The council wants what baa-chan?" Naruto asked. He never was the patient kind of person. Tsunade looked up at him

"Kill you" she said, and Naruto did exactly what she expected. He frowned

"That's it? Those old hags wanted to do it from the first day of my life!" He practically yelled, but his frown had turned in a look of anger and sorrow. Hinata, Sasuke, Sakura, did nothing but stare…

"No… I mean really… kill you…" the Hokage said again, and all eyes went wide

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked more calmly now. The others were looking between the Hokage and Naruto, practically turning their heads every two seconds

"Danzo… he always wanted your power as a weapon… but since he sees that he can't have it… he wants to destroy it…" she said, fighting back sobs that threatened to appear. She had already shown weakness in front of her ninjas by crying…

"What?! Can't you do something about it?" he asked, practically irritated that the Hokage couldn't stop that damn old man. Tsunade shook her head

"Danzo has a whole ANBU unit under his command. The council is also on his side, meaning the whole village is on his side. I can't stop him without evidence, and if you stay here… he will succeed… eventually" she said and all eyes went wide, especially Hinata's. She couldn't stand the idea of Naruto… dead…

"So… what do we do?" Sasuke asked, speaking up for the first time. Hinata and Sakura nodded at him and looked back at the Hokage. She just sighed. "You don't. Naruto does." She said and their eyes went wide again.

"Naruto… you must… leave Konohakagure… maybe for good…" she said and another tear fell down her cheek.

Naruto stood there… stunned… dumbfounded… leaving Konoha for good… leaving his friends behind… leaving his dreams behind…

"W-w-what are you talking about?! I can't leave! This is…" he was cut off as Tsunade stood up and angrily glared at him, tears falling down her cheeks

"You think I like it?! You think I want my little brother away?! You think I want that Danzo asshole to succeed?!" She practically screamed, now standing right in front of the small group of teenagers. She hugged Naruto tightly

"Kid… you have no future here… you must go… find a better place for yourself… please…" she whispered, and Naruto was now crying too, hugging Tsunade back. "I…I…" he tried to mumble but Tsunade pulled him out of the hug and looked at him in the eye

"Naruto. This shit hole you call 'village' has nothing to offer you. You must get out here and find a better life. If you stay here, you will most likely die for nothing on a mission or being killed in a trap set by Danzo's ANBU Root. Please… I don't want you away… but your life is more important than my wants" she said and hugged him again. Naruto hugged her back, tears streaming down both their faces.

Soon… to everyone's surprise… Hinata joined in the hug too, crying herself. Naruto was a little shocked at first. He didn't expect this…

Sakura soon joined in the hug too, hugging the Hokage and Naruto, a few tears streaming down her face too

Sasuke stood at the side for a second. Well, he could wait for everyone to eye him and force him in the hug…

'_Whatever…'_ he thought and hugged Sakura and Naruto

The blond teen was dumbfounded for a little. His friends were there for him… they would help him out of this hell… out of this shit that he called life… but his sorrow grew as he remembered… he had to leave them behind…

"I…I'll come with y-you, Naruto-k-kun" Hinata chocked out between her sobs. Naruto thought he misheard, but as the hug broke, Tsunade eyed Hinata up and down.

"What are you talking about Hinata? You can't just leave the village! You…" Naruto started but Hinata hugged him again, for once at least braking out of that shy shell of hers…

"I don't care…" she whispered, images of yesterday's events flashing in her mind…

_Flashback_

It was noon at the Hyuuga mansion, Hinata taking her usual sparring course. Against Neji…

Unfortunately for her, Neji was quite a better user of the Jyuuken style, and as such… Hinata lost once more…

Neji helped her up after he had thrown her down with his final strike. Hinata had beat him badly too, but you could call it a trick of fortune that he won this time. She was far more improved that before, yet again, her father didn't seem to appreciate it in the slightest…

"You lost again? How can I hope that you will ever become the head of the clan when you can't defeat your own cousin? I don't know what holds me back from moving you to a branch family and have you caged. You are less than worthless" Hiashi hissed and walked out of the dojo. Hinata was left there… dumbfounded… after all her hard work… her father didn't seem to really see any change in her at all.

She did the only thing she could at the moment…

She cried.

Neji kneeled next to her and put an arm on her shoulder "Hinata-sama…" he said quietly, and she looked up at him. Her cheeks were stained with tears as she looked into his eyes, the usual emotionless eyes gleaming with worry.

"Neji-nii-san… it's just that… no matter how much I work… father… father always thinks I'm weak…" she said, trying to fight back the sobs that threatened to emerge once more. Neji nodded and hugged her.

"Hinata-sama…" he began to take her attention. Hinata looked up at him again as he broke the hug

"Your father might never see how strong you really are. But I know someone besides me out there, knows that you're stronger that what you show. I just wish, that you would be happy. Your father will never allow it in this house. Think of it, Hinata-sama" he said and left the dojo. Hinata was left staring at his fleeting back. Did he mean what she thought he meant…?

_End Flashback_

'_Hinata…'_ he thought. She was the first to even think of it, not the other two that he thought even as siblings.

What was up with that girl? You could even cut with a knife through the kindness she emitted.

But why? Why would she give up her title as the heir of the Hyuuga clan, her rank as a ninja, her _life_ here, just to follow him around? Before he could ask, Sasuke broke the silence

"I'll go with the dobe too" he stated, looking at Tsunade with a look of determination. Sakura 'Eeped' in surprise, seeing she was the last one remaining. Sasuke was leaving? Naruto was leaving? Damn, she was leaving!

"I'm going too, Tsunade-sama." Sakura said and stood next to Sasuke. She didn't notice the glance he threw her as she stood next to him.

"G-guys… why are you doing this?" Naruto asked, and everyone turned to look at him. He was still hugging Hinata. She broke the hug and walked a few steps away, blushing a slight shade of red as she realized what she had done

"We're your friends Naruto-kun. We can't just leave you…" she said timidly and looked down, expecting him to yell or something.

"She's right dobe. I can't leave my only bro out there to get his ass kicked now, can I?" Sasuke asked with a smirk. Naruto was ready to protest but Sakura cut him off

"Yeah, we are Naruto. You won't get through this alone" she said, and looked at the three. Naruto could only stare wide-eyed.

He turned towards Hinata again, still blushing a little. The blush that seemed to always taint her face…

He understood Sakura and Sasuke. They were his best friends. He expected them to do such a thing. Yet Hinata, she was the first one to speak. She was the first to consider this. But why? Why would she leave it all behind to follow him?

"Hinata-chan… why?" he asked. Hinata looked at him confused for a moment. Then her blush grew deeper. _'Oh no, oh no! I have to tell him! It's now or never!'_ she thought and her blush grew deep as ever.

She opened her mouth to say something but the Hokage beat her to it "Hinata has an abusive father who doesn't see her true potential. It would be best if she goes with you Naruto. That way, she will have the opportunity to become stronger. And for something else…" she whispered the last part to herself as she threw a wink at Hinata who blushed furiously.

Naruto didn't notice it, as he was busy locking Hinata in a bear hug. "Thank you…" he whispered in her ear. She fought hard to keep herself from fainting and hugged him back. Breaking the hug, he didn't notice the slight disappointment in her features, as he looked at his other two friends. "Thank you all guys." He said and grinned widely.

They both nodded and smiled. Sakura turned to her sensei once more though. Tsunade gave her a look that yelled 'Shut up!', and so she did. The Hokage turned to Naruto once more

"Alright kid. I want you prepared to leave in about an hour. You three stay here. I want to talk to you for a moment" she said and waved Naruto away. He nodded with a grin and left the Hokage tower. Jumping from the window…

Before Sakura could ask her previous question, the Hokage beat her to it "You might wonder why would I allow three of my best shinobi's to leave the village so easily?" she asked with a grin. The others only nodded as they stared wide-eyed

"Simple" she said and shrugged, as if the answer was right in their faces. "What Naruto needs right now, are friends, people who love him" she said while eyeing them all, focusing a bit longer on Hinata. "If he was gone out there all on his own, he would probably die from grief" she said, earning a slight gasp from Hinata. The poor girl seemed to be quite sensitive on this matter. "You guys are all Naruto has at the moment. Be sure to stay close to him and help him through this." She said and they all nodded.

"Now, dismissed. You've got things to pack ne?" she said with a smirk and they all nodded once more. With a wave of her hand, they had disappeared through the window.

'_Doesn't anyone use doors nowadays?' _she thought and sighed as she sat back at her chair…

_XxxxX_

'_I'm getting out of here… and I'm not alone!'_ Naruto thought happily as he walked down the streets towards his apartment, wanting to take one last good look at the village. He didn't like the idea of leaving it, but what Tsunade said was true. There was no real future for him here, there wasn't really anything waiting for him except the chair of the Hokage, which was like a forlorn dream now. Even if he were to be the Hokage, there would be no one at his side, both from the village side and the 'mate' thing side. He contemplated on this…

He liked Sakura, but at the extent of seeing her as a sister. Sakura was a good friend and a good person when she wasn't angry. When she was… and surprisingly, it was nearly always when Naruto was around, well… let just say that you want to be a good kilometer radius away from her. Yep, she definitely wasn't the girl for him.

Next in the list is… Tenten? From were did she come from?! He barely knew her! Next…

Ino? Nah, Ino never liked him, and the feeling was mutual. She seemed to be more affectionate towards Shikamaru lately… he chuckled. Good luck making the 'bored' boy interested.

Either way, it was more possible that he wouldn't see them again. So the last candidate is…

"Yo" said a voice, sending him out of his thoughts. Unfortunately, it wasn't fast enough to avoid hitting a pole right in front of him. Crushing on it, he fell backwards and rubbed his face, mumbling curses and many other strange stuff. Did he say something about ramen…?

Looking up, he realized the voice came from his always 'bored and perverted' sensei. "Aw, what is it sensei?" he asked irritated. The jounin held his favorite book in one hand, the other shoved in one of his pockets. He raised his one visible eyebrow

"What, can't I say goodbye to my students?" he asked curiously, titling his head slightly to the side. Naruto stood up "Wait, what the hell? Did you eavesdrop…" he was cut off as Kakashi raised his hand in motion for him to silence.

"I already knew what the Hokage wanted you for before I came to the training grounds. And, I was more than sure that Sakura and Sasuke would follow. They can't live without their favorite baka around, now can they?" he asked, his eye turning in an upside down U, evidencing his unique smile. Naruto was laughing while he rubbed the back of his head

"Yeah, I guess so. I couldn't imagine life without teme around too" he said and continued laughing. Kakashi raised his eyebrow again. He imagined the blond referring more to Sakura, rather than Sasuke "Hmm? Only Sasuke chose to follow?" he asked curiously and Naruto's laughter was cut as if his voice had died.

"No… Sakura-chan and Hinata-chan will too" he said seriously. Kakashi's visible eye went wide. Did he mean… the Hyuuga heiress?

"What are you talking about? The Hyuuga heiress?" he asked curiously and Naruto only nodded. Kakashi brought his free hand on his chin

"You didn't force her to come or anything, did you, Naruto?" he asked. Naruto's eyes went wide "What?! I would never force Hinata-chan on anything! She was the first to choose to come with me from the beginning!" he shouted and crossed his arms over his chest. Kakashi's eye went wide once more. Realization hit him. He smiled once more. Maybe there was a chance for his knucklehead student to find something more than power and cool techniques out there ne? "Very well. Just take care of your girlfriend, Naruto" he said, wanting to tease his student. Naruto was slightly offended as his eyes formed an 0.0

Before he could protest or anything, Kakashi poofed out of existence, the last expression on his face being a knowing smile. Naruto sighed and kept it to himself. What did he mean by 'girlfriend'? Sakura was out of question, since Sasuke was more likely to get her. Wait… Hinata?

He blushed at the thought of Hinata being his girlfriend. Reasons: Unkown for now.

He shook his head and kept walking towards his apartment. Hinata wasn't an open person. He didn't know her much, but what Tsunade said about her abusive father… he would get to know the girl more during their journey. Another thing to do added in his 'Challenges' list! Hinata always was on his 'Weird people' list till recently, until he realized that she was a lot nicer person that he already thought her as. And this in only a few training days… imagine months or years! Yep, they had time, and he was going to use it. He grew bored of being alone all his life. Maybe he could give her a shot… maybe she could help him reach out of this hell…

XxxxX

Meanwhile at Sakura's house

Sakura hugged her mother tightly. "Don't worry Kaa-san. Sasuke-kun and Naruto are strong, they'll protect me" she said reassuringly, trying to ease her mother's fear. It wasn't easy to have your daughter going away, maybe forever "And where are you going?" her mother asked anxiously, her tears dry now as concern and curiosity won over.

Sakura shook her head. "I'm sorry mom. I can't tell _neither do I know…'_ she thought the last part to herself. True, they hadn't discussed where they were to go. Well, they could always talk this out on the road ne?

She nodded and smiled "Okay, I just want you to write to us every now and then. You can do this, can't you?" she said and titled her head to the side slightly. Sakura sighed "Yes mom, I'll write" she said and gave her mother a final hug.

"Be safe" her mother whispered and Sakura nodded on her shoulder. With a kiss on the cheek, she run out of the door and into the now filling streets of Konoha…

XxxxX

With Sasuke

'_Were did I put it?'_ the onyx haired boy thought as he kept rummaging through his clothes. Finally, he found what he was looking for. It was…

'_Hmm… it needs shining' _he thought as he unsheathed his blade. It was a long katana sword, though the edge was straight instead of turning, the hilt made of thick leather, the blade made of pure steel. It could cut through a Samurai's armor as if it was hot butter. He smirked. Let Orochimaru come and take him. He would have to deal with his little friend here first…

_XxxxX_

Turning the camera to Hinata (0.o were did I get that?)

The lavender eyed girl was neatly packing clothes in her bedroom. She had prepared a travel pack meant for a rather long journey. They hadn't organized the travel yet. What the people of Konoha would know was that they went on a mission, and they never returned. If they wanted, they could tell their family with the precaution that they would keep it a secret. Sakura had told her parents, knowing that they didn't deserve to be worried to death. Now… Hinata telling her father, not the most appropriate thing to do. Not that he would be worried, but he was most likely to forbid her from leaving. Not only because she was the heir, but also because she was going with _him…_

Why the hell couldn't he just let her be happy for once?

A journey with Naruto… a new life with him. Well they would also have company ne? Sakura and Sasuke weren't bad. Sasuke wasn't a cold cube as he let people know. Instead, he knew that he could trust Hinata, thus being warmer towards her. Well, it was also because she wasn't one of his annoying fan girls. He saw her as a friend, and she was glad. She wanted to have friends, though with Naruto… she sought for something more…

The only one in her family that deserved to know was Neji. He was the only one in this clan that deserved the truth by her opinion.

A knock on the door.

"Come in" she said softly and the door slowly slid open, revealing a tall, white dressed Neji. "Hinata-sama, you called?" he asked and grinned. Hinata sighed. He played with formality quite much lately…

He walked in and immediately took notice of the few packed clothes and the backpack. He raised an eyebrow. "Going on a mission, Hinata-sama?" he asked and Hinata, to his surprise, shook her head.

"I'm going… away, Neji-nii-san" she simply said and packed one last cloth in her backpack before zipping in closed. Looking at Neji, she noticed his wide eyed expression.

His eyes slowly returned to normal, and he grinned "And may I ask, with who, and where?" he said. Hinata looked around worriedly, as if she expected someone to jump out of nowhere. She stood up and walked towards the door. Peaking her head out, she looked at both sides of the hallway. It was clear. Closing the door, she went back in and sat on the bed. Neji just stood there, giving her a look that stated all he didn't put in words. He expected explanations.

"Neji-nii-san, I don't want anyone else to know about this conversation alright?" she said, a tint of worry in her always soft voice. He only nodded in response. She slowly took a deep breath, and sighed

She explained the whole situation. They were to go on a 'mission' while in truth they were leaving the village. They would be marked MIA (missing in action) by the Hokage, and they would be able to start a better life somewhere else. When she finished her part, Neji did something that clearly took her off guard. He smiled…

"I'm proud of you, Hinata-sama. Though I don't approve of running away from your father and problems like this, it is more likely that a better future awaits you out there. Oh, and I have my own news for you…" he said and his expression darkened. Hinata knew that when Neji did that, it wasn't good

"Hinata-sama, I have accidentally overheard a conversation your father had with the elders. I heard the whole thing, so it is most likely that I speak truth." He said and took a glance at the girl in front of him, wanting to make sure he had her full attention. He smiled sadly "They are going to unseal me…" he said, but there was no happiness in his voice. Instead, a sad smile crept on his face. Hinata looked at him worriedly

"But nii-san, that's good isn't it?" she asked half-heartedly. She was happy that her cousin, and close to 'brother' was finally going to be free of this curse, but why wasn't HE happy?

"Hinata-sama… I will be freed… only to become the next heir of the clan" he said and she gasped. But… if he was to be the heir… then she…

He looked at her again, only to see fear and sorrow in her expression. "They will move and seal you Hinata-sama. That is why it is best for you to seek a new life. There is nothing left here, nothing but sorrow. You must take this chance, go, go now before it's too late. They will be here in mere minutes to take and seal you. The reason I came in the first place was to tell you to flee. But, I see that you have already planned a better life, haven't you?" he said and smiled. She smiled back and hugged him

"Thank you nii-san" she whispered. He hugged her back "Don't worry Hinata-sama. I will change the Hyuuga's for all of us, for you, for me, for Naruto" he said and broke apart. He activated his Byakugan. His eyes went wide "They are coming! Quickly Hinata-sama get out of here!" he said and stood up. Guards, along with her father were quickly approaching.

Hinata nodded and took her backpack in hand. Shifting it on her back, she opened her window. Taking one last glance at her cousin, she took off…

"Good luck, Hinata-sama" he whispered and it was then that the door slid open. He deactivated his blood limit.

Turning to look at his uncle, surprise was evident in his eyes "Neji? What are you doing here? Where's Hinata?" he asked. Neji shook his head "I wish I knew, Hiashi-sama. She wasn't here when I came" he said, fighting hard to keep himself from smirking. Instead, he kept on a cold mask, void of emotion. Hiashi cursed under his breath. He looked up at Neji again. "Anyway, I'll send guards to find her. Neji, I need to talk to you." He said and his cold expression returned once more. Neji bowed lightly, letting a smirk slip on his lips for a mere second. He already knew what Hiashi wanted…

XxxxX

Hinata wandered the streets, thinking of what should she do next. If her father or any of the guards found her, she would be taken back to be sealed! She had to find somewhere to hide until the time came for them to leave. But where was the last place anyone would think that she would be…?

XxxxX

Naruto packed up the last cup of ramen before zipping his backpack close. He had half an hour until he had to go back to Tsunade, and he was already ready for the journey. Food, equipment, clothes and all the basic necessities were in that backpack. All he had to do now was wait… too bad it was also the thing he wasn't good at!

He sat on his couch, anxiously waiting the minutes to pass. He was extremely thrilled by the fact of this departure. He felt uneasy that he had to leave his village, maybe forever, but the thrill of adventure was filling him. He focused on the good sides.

He would be away from the villagers, away from all the hate, free to go wherever he chose

He would be out there with good company. With his best friends.

Yep, Hinata was considered a best friend. Who wouldn't want to be friends with such a cute girl?

Wait, did he just think she is cute?

His trail of thoughts was cut off as a knock on his door was heard. Who could it be? Maybe an assassin? Tsunade warned him that Danzo could most likely already be on the move. He casually walked towards the door. He could feel the chakra signature of the visitor. He didn't try to hide it, so he definitely wasn't an assassin. Anyway, what kind of assassin knocks the door of his victim? Wait, he knew this signature!

He opened the door with a grin, only to meet a smiling yet blushing Hinata. "Oh Hinata-chan! Where are the others?" he asked curiously as he poked his head out, looking around as if expecting Sakura and Sasuke to jump out of nowhere. Hinata blushed deeper now. "I-I came alone. A-aren't they here yet?" she asked, pretending curiosity in her voice. She knew they weren't here, but it would be a nice cover, pretending that she came here expecting the others to be there too. He grinned widely

"Nope. But you can come in, I need some company anyway" he said and stepped aside, allowing her entrance. She stepped in…

His apartment was far different that the Hyuuga mansion. It seemed… warmer… the smell of ramen was mixed with Naruto's… why wasn't she surprised?

They both sat on the couch. "So, you're ready Hinata-chan?" he asked, stealing a glance at her before looking back at the clock. Was it his idea or time was moving slower?

"Y-yes. T-though w-we should avoid other Hyuugas" she said and that caught his attention. He raised an eyebrow "Avoid Hyuugas? What for?" he asked and now his complete attention was fixed on her.

She started explaining the whole thing, what her cousin told her and what she told him. When she mentioned her being caged because of her weakness, she was surprised that Naruto didn't start yelling around curses towards her father. Instead, what he said made her blush like crazy "They don't know what they're losing then" he said and placed a hand on her shoulder. She nodded "Y-yes, thank you, N-Naruto-kun" she said and smiled. He smiled back. Another knock was then heard on the door. As his eyes turned towards the door, he also noticed time. He raised both eyebrows

Five minutes remained before he had to meet the Hokage for the supposed 'Briefing'. How the hell did time suddenly went by that fast? He didn't forget the fact that time seemed to accelerate AFTER Hinata came here and they started talking.

He shook these thoughts away as he walked towards the door. Opening it, a smirking Sasuke and a grinning Sakura awaited him. "Ready yet dobe?" Sasuke asked, already knowing the answer. Naruto seemed to be beaming. The thrill of a new adventure took over once more "I was born ready teme!" he answered back and Sasuke 'Hned'.

Rushing back in his apartment, he headed right to the bedroom. It was then that Hinata walked up to her newest teammates. Sakura raised an eyebrow "What are you doing here Hinata?" she asked and the named girl smiled while a blush followed suit "W-Well, I had nowhere else to go. Otou-san mustn't find me and…" she trailed off, sadness overwhelming at the thought of what her father wanted to do. "Why's that?" Sasuke asked. Hinata could laugh at the sight of both Sakura and Sasuke having an eyebrow raised. It was just funny, and she couldn't help but suppress it to a giggle. Oh, it surely would be an interesting journey… to god knows where

It was then that Naruto appeared, having his backpack on his back and a weapon holster at his thigh. Everyone grinned. "Let's go!" he shouted excitedly as he and Hinata stepped outside. They all nodded and Naruto closed the door to his apartment, locking it for maybe the final time…

After a quick five minute run to the Hokage tower, Hinata had said to the other two what she had said to Naruto. They understood. Having the 'caged bird' seal would only conclude in her staying here forever, bound by the seal's powers, being forced to live a life she clearly didn't want. She didn't want to stay away from Naruto… forever…

They once more stood outside the doors to the Hokage's office. But this time, they all had their backpacks loaded and were ready to journey. The doors were shut, and they could hear shouting from the inside…

Naruto was ready to open the door when a small hand grabbed his own. He looked at its owner who was no other than Hinata. She shook her head and motioned them to silence. The voices from the other side of the doors were more audible now…

"For the last time Hiashi! She will go on the mission and when she returns, you can do whatever you want!" the Hokage shouted and everyone chuckled silently, seeing the irony in her words.

"I am completely opposite to your opinion, Hokage-sama. I will not allow her to lurk around, shaming the name of our family even more. Neji has proven plenty of times far more suitable from my daughter for the position of the head of the clan. So, Hanabi will be the next successor after him." He said blankly. Naruto was raging inside, but Hinata's firm grasp on his wrist held him back. He sighed…

"Shaming? Damn you Hiashi, you are more blind even than Naruto towards your daughter!" Tsunade raged, but Naruto was confused. Why was he blind again…?

Hinata blushed, knowing what the Hokage meant, while the other two just threw a smirk at each other.

"Hmm? What does the demon boy has to do with Hanabi?" Hiashi said, and all four teens could imagine the smirk he must be throwing the Hokage right now.

Hinata once more was on the merge of tears, knowing what her father meant. Naruto on the other hand, was confused, but he kept it for himself for now.

"Don't fool with me you bastard! Hinata…" she was cut off by Hiashi's curious gaze

"What does she have to do with my family? She is a lowly branch member" he said seriously, and now the poor girl outside the door couldn't help but sob. Her own father… didn't even acknowledge her as family anymore…

They heard the Hokage scream and the sound of broken glass could be heard afterwards. They all barked in, and they stared wide eyed at the Hokage…

"Hmm? What?!" she asked angrily as she turned to look at them. They kept looking between the broken windows and the Hokage. Where's Hiashi…?

Tsunade looked back at the broken window. "Oh that. Well, I'll have it fixed in a few days. Think I'm going to use it a few more times, ne?" she said and threw a satisfied smirk at the teens, who all shivered.

"Alright, now with our job" she sat down on her chair behind the desk and the teens stood next to each other in front of her. She eyed them all, up and down. "Are you sure of what you're doing?" she asked, waiting to see doubt appearing on their features. Too bad, it never came.

They all nodded except of Hinata who was nodding like crazy for a few seconds. Fortunately, the others didn't notice, having their full attention fixed on the Hokage.

'_She must have heard…' _Tsunade thought and sighed. "I assume I can't change your mind?" she asked, not expecting an answer of course. They all shook their heads, Hinata having shook her own head vigorously once more. "Very well then. There's one more thing I want to ask. Don't let a Hyuuga close to Hinata. Am I understood? I don't want one of my best shinobi's sealed, now do I?" she asked and smiled. They all nodded. This time, Hinata was looking at the ground worriedly, as if expecting something bad to happen.

The Hokage explained the rest of what was to be done. The village, except those that were told the truth, would only know that they went on a scouting mission, encountered enemy ninjas, the battle raged and the outcome was no bodies on both sides. They would be marked MIA (Missing In Action), and she warned them that they would have to dodge the best way possible the ninjas she would send to search for them. She would make sure though, that this search wouldn't last more than two days.

So, ninja dodging for two days eh?

Naruto grinned and hugged the Hokage, giving a final goodbye before the departure. Hinata and Sakura hugged the blond lady too. Sasuke just 'Hned' and gave her a smile, something really rare for him to do.

"Take care of the idiot" she said to both Hinata and Sakura, who nodded in response while Naruto was fuming at the background. Sasuke smirked, bumping the dobe on the head before he could start protesting in his always loud manner. That caused him to turn his protests towards his raven haired brother, who just 'Hned' in response, making him even more furious. In the end, it took Hinata to calm him down. Sakura of course, was ready to give him a nice punch in the face, making him stand down even faster. The Hokage was a little amazed nonetheless, that the lavender eyed girl managed to calm him down without shouting, punching or anything else. She just touched him and pleaded him to calm down. The world is full of surprises…

They now stood before the gates of Konohakagure. A few more steps and they now would exit the village, and maybe never come back again…

Sakura wanted to come in order to test her potential on the outside world, become stronger by adventuring throughout it. Of course, she also wanted to stay close to Sasuke and Naruto, they being her best friends.

Sasuke needed to go with Naruto, if not only to stay with his 'brother', then to defeat his older one. He knew that Itachi was after Naruto for his nine-tailed prisoner, and that could make it even easier for Sasuke to find him and take revenge. Of course, it wasn't the number one priority, but it wouldn't hurt to kill your brother now, would it?

Hinata wanted to get away from her clan, get away from all this abuse, get away and search for a better life, somewhere were she could finally unlock her true potential. Hiashi always thought that through his way, he would make her stronger. Indeed, he was sure to make her shy and timid side even stronger, taking away all her confidence, making her think she was weak, a nobody. The other reason she came, was that she wanted to follow him. Him being the boulder that helped her stand when others would force her to fall. Him being one of the few that believed in her. If he was gone, from where could she hold herself? From where could she drain the power she needed to stand before she would manage to find her own? Her teacher and teammates could help, but not the way he did… not that way…

Naruto was finally going to get free. He wouldn't have to meet glares of anger and distaste everywhere he went. He wouldn't have to endure the villager's false hate anymore. He would venture outside, venture and become stronger, in more ways than one. And he would do it… with his friends by his side.

A lonely figure waited hidden in the leafs of a nearby tree, watching the teenagers preparing to leave the village. They were talking to each other, the blond of the group shouting something about ramen. He smirked under the shadows. '_It has began…'_ and with that, he became one with the shadows…

* * *

**A/N: Well what do you think? Right now, I have limited internet access so reviews will be responded in a few days (After Sunday, to be exact). Please let me know what you think! I want to believe that the beggining is satisfiying. Oh, and if you read my other story 'Soulmate:By Your Side' or my one-shot 'The Reason', don't hesitate to leave a review, be sure that I will see it. Anyway, no updates till monday. Sorry mates, I already told ye, 'LIMITED INTERNET ACCESS!' :(**


	2. Chapter 2: Far And Beyond

Disclaimer: To own Naruto, or not to own Naruto? There's the question. I'll take the second one xD

**A/N: Alright here is the second chapter! Hope it is satisfying, there's also a little fighting here, for the sake of Adventure. Not that I have Romance in yet, but who cares? The story has a long way to go. Once more, special thanks to my Beta, Bumblemark :D**

**On other news, is there anyone out there who can help me out? Some of you must probably know about DamenWren's story, 'Two Halves', the best NaruHina fanfic I've read till today. She hasn't finished the sequel and I want to know if there is anyone out there who has. If you know, please let me know where to find the story! I always wanted to see how 'Twice Shy' would go! **

_**Towards The Heaven**_

_**Chapter2: Far And Beyond**_

The tapping of feet could be heard on the hard tiles of the furnished floor. The hallway seemed to go to no end, no door being to either left or right of the dark corridor. The way was enlightened by torches, amazingly hanging from the rooftop off what seemed to be nothing. The sounds of steps off the floor came to a halt as the figure dressed in a pitch-black robe stood before the only door of this hallway. Raising his gloved hand, it found its way to the knob. Turning it, the door was cracked open, slowly sliding the whole way towards the wall. Inside the room was a lonely desk, a wooden chair being noticeable behind it. The rest of the room was made out of stone, the floor being only dirt, a big difference between the previously tiled and furnished floor of the hallway. The dark dressed figure entered, closing the door behind him and engulfing the room in darkness. He whispered something after forming what seemed to be a hand seal in the darkness.

From the roof of the dark room, a small light started shining out of nowhere. It became stronger… and stronger… until its pale light washed lightly the otherwise dark room. But now, instead of being empty, the chair behind the desk was filled with a longhaired figure, its black hair hiding most of his face.

The black dressed figure brought his fist to his heart "My lord, you called?" he said, his voice deep and harsh, probably a male. The dark haired figure seemed to chuckle "Why yes, I've got something interesting for you to do" he said and a smirk was evident on his really pale face. He licked his lips with a far too long for human tongue, which also was forked. He seemed to hiss, like a snake. The figure across him slid his hood down…

XxxxX

Nightfall. It was nearing, and they had to find a place to sleep. Might as well set up camp or something. They were traveling all day long, no stop from their departure. They would have to sleep in the woods today, since no town was close enough for them to find refuge. The blond of the team cheered happily, earning a bump on the head from his two allies, the third only having shook her head and giggled.

"What was that for?" the blond ask, clearly irritated. The onyx haired teen 'Hned' while the pink haired kunoichi next to him was ready for another pummel, being enraged by her friend's foolishness.

"Dobe, you really should just shut up" Sasuke said and kept walking, grabbing Sakura from the shoulder so she couldn't kill the dobe of the company. Naruto was cheering and yelling like that for the past twenty minutes. The lavender eyed girl next to them just sighed and stood next to the blond. He was still rubbing his head, pained from the strikes he received moments ago.

"Are you ok, Naruto-kun?" she asked softly as always. He nodded and gave her a wide grin "Don't worry, I'm used to this!" he shouted but quickly grabbed his mouth. Slowly turning around, a raging Sakura along with a glaring Sasuke prepared their fists to make the blond shut up. Something in Sakura's eye made him understand that the last thing she wanted, was to make this quick. He gulped.

"See you later, Hinata-chan!" he shouted again and sprinted down the road, Sakura and Sasuke following the fleeing, yet also screaming teen. Hinata could hear Sakura shouting, "Shut up you baka!" She giggled. Naruto could be such a child at times. When they were nearly out of sight, she realized that she was left behind! Her eyes went wide before she started sprinting behind them herself…

XxxxX

After a few minutes and a few good pummels on the head, Naruto was finally able to control himself and his voice. They still had around half an hour to find shelter before the light of the sun would be completely gone. They stepped out of the road and into the woods, looking for a small clearing where they would set camp.

Luckily, there was a cozy area clear of trees where they all would fit nicely. Above them hanged the stars and the now dark sky. They would light a fire in the middle and luckily, there seemed to be plenty of big rocks around where they would hide under in order to sleep for the night. In their sleeping bags, that is.

"Alright, Naruto, go gather some wood for the fire. Hinata, you set up the tent. Sasuke-kun and I will bring food." Sakura commanded and they all nodded, satisfied with the job arrangements. Naruto went quickly deeper in the forest, looking for wood to burn. Hinata took the tent out of Naruto's backpack, which he had left behind as he sprinted in the night. Sakura and Sasuke walked away towards a river the Uchiha spotted nearby. Surprisingly enough, it wasn't far from their camp. They both entered the river while taking off their shoes. Fishing seemed appealing enough. Sakura had heard that there were plenty of big fishes in the rivers of Fire country during nightfall…

"So, what are we going to do with these two?" Sasuke spoke for the first time from the moment they began fishing. He was using his sword to stab the fishes, while Sakura infested small parts of water with her chakra, creating a contained small circle of poison, which could put a fish in deep slumber. It didn't work on humans…

She canceled the small jutsu to look at him confused. He raised an eyebrow while holding his sword high, a fish hanging dead in the grasp of his other hand. "You forgot already?" he asked a little surprised. She only stared as she searched her mind. It clicked

"Ooh, yeah I remember Sasuke-kun. But why should we push things?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Why couldn't they just let Hinata tell him whenever she wanted?

"Because she never will tell him if things keep going like this." He simply answered as if he read her thoughts. "The girl has no backbone in such matters, and the dobe is just too blind to see. We just have to open his eyes, without exposing her." He said and pierced another fish that came by. A big one.

She nodded, but still, why was it so important to just get them together? "The dobe fuels her with determination whenever needed, and she is really good at calming him down" he said and threw her a smirk. She grinned back, though a little surprised that his answer was as if he read her mind. Yeah, guess the dobe could need a calming hand, someone to support him at dark times. She needed someone to help her stand, help her understand that she was valuable. Who wouldn't be better than Naruto, the blond that could make a beggar think he's the best in the world!

They needed each other, in more ways than one…

XxxxX

After a little while, they were all gathered around the newly lightened fire. Hinata offered to cook, and the other three nodded, already knowing the cooking skills of this young Hyuuga. They would be announced MIA in Konoha in two days from now. So, the sooner they started to hide their tracks, the better. Being one step forward is the key of victory for a shinobi.

Naruto couldn't help but admire Hinata's cooking loudly, making the poor girl blush and mumble a 'thank you'. Sasuke smirked. He wondered what would happen when they had a more 'intimate' time with each other. IF they had, that is.

He too couldn't help but admire, though silently, the girl's cooking skills. Even if you hated fish, her cooking would make you love them.

It wasn't long after that they all went to sleep, Naruto giving Hinata a goodnight first, rather than his two other friends. But, they didn't pay much attention to such a small act, thus shoving it away. They unrolled their sleeping bags…

It wasn't long after that they all fell in a dreamless sleep…

A lonely figure sat atop the highest branches of a nearby tree, having full view of the little encampment. He smirked '_Good… very good…_' he thought to himself, as shadows seemed to consume him…

XxxxX

Polished wooden floors. Dull white walls. People with eyes that seemed to have no emotion at all. People who put their pride above all others.

The Hyuuga compound.

A white dressed man, probably a branch member since he had bandages tied on his forehead to hide the seal, knocked on a double wooden door in the left of a hallway. A commanding, yet cold voice from inside gave permission for entrance. Sliding the doors open, the man entered and then closed them behind him. He bowed lowly to the man in front of him, who sat on a desk at the opposite side of the door.

The head of the Hyuuga clan

Hiashi's cold stare didn't go unnoticed by the guard, who in return gave another cold one, but not in disrespect. The Hyuuga's were taught this way, the way of coldness. There was only one Hyuuga who never used this cold face, and she was out of Konoha on a 'mission' with three more shinobis…

"Report" Hiashi practically commanded in his always cold tone. The guard bowed again

"Hiashi-sama, we have reports that Hinata-sama, along with her group, are heading towards a large town north of Konoha. This at least, is the official report given to the Hokage. The current position of the team can not be estimated." The guard said and bowed again. Hiashi nodded

"Very well. I'll send someone skillful enough to take Hinata back. I can't allow her to roam free, staining our name even more. No matter what the Hokage says, she will be taken back, even by force." He said and nodded again, as if agreeing with himself. "You may leave," he added and the guard bowed again, leaving the room seconds later.

Hiashi looked to his left. A female servant stepped forward and bowed. Hiashi seemed to smirk, even for the tiniest split second.

"Bring me Neji," he commanded, and the still bowed servant left in a hurry…

XxxxX

"WHAT?!" screamed the young green beast of Konoha. The genius of the Hyuuga clan just shook his head in annoyance to his friend's attitude. "Lee… shut up" he hissed and the named teen went strangely silent. The weapon mistress of Konoha, Tenten, stood next to her nearly fully green dressed friend. "Neji, Lee has a point. We can't go down there and force Hinata back here!" she said and glared at her teammate. He sighed

_Flashback_

"You asked for me, Hiashi-sama?" Neji said as he slid the door behind him close and bowed. Looking up, he saw the current head of the clan nodding. Neji had already had his seal removed, so now he was a free main branch member. "Indeed" Hiashi replied. His cold stare was eyeing Neji up and down, as if trying to find him guilty for something.

"Have you been straining yourself in training, Neji?" he said. Neji was a little taken aback, not understanding the point of such a question. He replied nonetheless "No Hiashi-sama. I just had some strong sparring opponents lately" he said and the head of the clan nodded once more. Hiashi was known among the members of his clan for his short answers, unexpected questions and, something that has come to be a normal trait among the Hyuuga's, cold attitude.

"Good. You'll need your strength." He said and started checking something on an open scroll in front of him. "I have something of great importance for you to deal with, Neji" he said out of the blue as he kept looking at the scroll. Neji seemed to be ready to raise an eyebrow in curiosity, but he restrained himself from such an act.

Hiashi took his silence as a 'Go on'. "What I need you to do, Neji, is to bring Hinata back here the soonest possible. This girl cannot be allowed to roam free out there," he said.

Neji could explode in anger if his manners and respect didn't allow him. Girl? Hinata was nearly a full-grown woman for god's sake! And roam free? She wasn't an animal! She was one of the best shinobis Konoha had to offer, yet Hiashi didn't want to understand that. He sought complete perfection from anyone in his clan. But what would a simple girl do when her own father seemed to think she was weak? From were would she get the power to stand her ground and try again? There was no one to give her such power when she was a child, until the first day she went to the academy… her results were becoming better, little by little, yet her father couldn't just be pleased. If he didn't have perfection, he had nothing…

Nevertheless, he still had to give Hiashi an answer

He was ready to start talking, but it seemed that Hiashi had taken his silence as another 'Go on' sign

"I'll have some of my best guards to…" he was cut off by an 'ahem' from his nephew

"What is it?" he asked, irritation not visible in his features or voice, yet Neji knew that interrupting him was something that clearly annoyed the head of the clan. "Excuse me, Hiashi-sama, but I'd like to pick up my teammates on this missions by myself." He said and bowed. Hiashi eyed him for a moment.

Neji knew he couldn't get away from the assignment, so bringing with him the right people for the job would make it easier to complete his mission, without unnecessary casualties…

_End Flashback_

"So, let me get this straight. You want us to go and fight Hinata, Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura in order to get the poor girl back? You know what will happen if she comes back better than any of us!" Tenten practically shouted but a glare from Neji made her go silent.

"Silence! None must know about this. I trust you, that's why I want you with me." Neji said calmly. Tenten nodded.

"Yosh! Let us go and save our beloved comrade then!" Lee shouted, giving them a wink. They both sighed. Thank god they were in a nearly desolated area of Konoha.

The rookie nine along with Neji's team, were some of the few that knew the truth about what was going on with their four friends. They all were somehow happy about them, knowing they were going somewhere better. But still, this didn't mean that they were safe yet, eh?

Little did they know, that something made of pure shadow was watching the whole thing…

XxxxX

A yawn. A stretch. Our favorite blond is awake!

"Yosh! Another day is up! Breakfast!!" he shouted excitedly. The fish he ate yesterday were one of a kind.

To his surprise, no pummel on the head came because he was loud, neither did someone shout 'shut up baka' or anything. To tell the truth… it was silence that met him.

Looking around, he noticed three sleeping bags around the small clearing. He got out of his own and slowly walked towards the one nearest to him…

Looking closely, he saw the usual, ink-blue haired head that its owner was a cute pale skinned girl…

Why did the 'cute' word kept coming up?

Seeing Hinata's peaceful expression, he was glad that at least he didn't wake her up with his shouting. It was so rare to see her like this. She was always blushing and nervous looking, but it was now that he really noticed the true paleness of her skin. It wasn't too much, but it wasn't too little. It was just… perfect…

He shook the thoughts away as he had to check on his other friends and teammates. He slowly walked towards Sakura's sleeping bag. How did he know it was Sakura's? It was pink...

Searching for her head, he was frightened when he found nothing. He even looked inside the bag, as if hoping that Sakura had shrunk and was hiding inside it. He rushed towards Sasuke's…

It was empty…

Rushing back to Hinata, he was ready to start shouting and shake the poor girl to no end, but as he opened his mouth, the peacefulness of her expression made him go silent once more…

He grabbed her shoulders and started to shake her the lightest way he could.

"Hinata! Hinata-chan!" he shouted silently. It was then that her eyelids started twitching. She was awakening…

Opening her eyes, she met blue orbs. From were did she know this orbs?

Her vision soon became clearer, and she was now able to make out a black and orange jacket, a tan skinned face with whisker marks on each cheek, and spiky blond hair. She blushed…

"Hinata! Wake up!" he shouted silently again, and seeing the worry in his expression, her blush faltered.

"N-Naruto-kun, what is it?" she asked worriedly, still a little sleepy.

He explained what happened, from the moment he woke up till the moment he started to shook her.

"But Naruto-kun, what if they have just gone to find food or something?" she asked, a little curious as to why he hadn't thought about this. He scratched the back of his head

"Well…" he started but his voice trailed off. Hinata shook her head and smiled. He could be so silly at times

"Naruto-kun, they must be ok. You're just overreacting," she said reassuringly and he grinned "Yep, that must be it. Sorry for waking you up…" he trailed off once more. She shook her head again

"Don't worry about it. I would wake up sooner or later anyway," she said. He grinned again.

"If you want, I can make sure you won't wake up again, milady" a cold voice said, a little formally. Both shinobis jumped up in a fighting stance.

"Now, now, let us not be hasty eh? Don't you want to be a little tortured before dying?" he asked mockingly and chuckled. They turned to the left to see who was talking. Nothing.

"You need to look a little better…" the voice said again from their right. They turned… nothing…

"You know, I should just come out and kill you" The voice said again and now, right in front of them, a figure started materializing from the shadows. They stared in awe as a tall man was practically created in front of them. He wore a long black robe with red lines going from the shoulder and down to the bottom of the cloth. His hood hid most of his face, only the outline of it being visible. They were surprised nonetheless, that even in the weak light of the early sun, his face was still hidden in the shadows. His lips plastered a crazy grin.

"Oh, I will have fun. Your little friends escaped, but you will not" he said and by pointing a finger at them, the shadows around him were raised to ten feet height… and charged towards them…

XxxxX

"My head…" Sasuke whispered to himself before his eyes could even open. He felt as if hammers were pumping his brain. Slowly opening his eyes, he met white-golden ones that stared in his own, as if trying to read his soul.

"What the…" a whisper was heard and his world turned black once more…

XxxxX

"Are we there yet?" asked Tenten anxiously. They had departed with the first light of the morning sun. Neji ground his teeth. He calmed himself down "No. They are at least a day ahead of us. If my calculations are correct, we will meet them in about a day. And stop asking me!" he said and turned his head to look forward again.

He, Tenten and Lee were at least halfway to the small town were their friends were supposed to be. One more day…

The weak light of the morning sun had suddenly vanished. They all looked up, but there were no clouds in the sky. Looking around, they noticed something that made them shiver…

Darkness had started engulfing the surrounding area…

"What the…" Neji managed to say. It was as if a dome of darkness had started materializing around them, engulfing everything in its way.

"Move!" Neji managed to shout and they were all shot out of their trance. They started running towards to what seemed to be the wall of the dome that was beginning to go higher and higher. When they got close…

Living shadows popped out of the ground and pushed them back. They were startled nonetheless, that shadows suddenly came to life.

They managed to keep themselves standing and eyed their new enemy. They were tall, black creatures made out of pure black shadow. You could swear that they were darker than the black color itself…

They had long pointy ears and their hands seemed clawed, as well as their feet. You could say that they were black trolls or something. There were three of them and they all chuckled evilly.

Neji slipped in the usual Jyuuken stance of the Hyuuga clan. Lee entered his Lotus stance while Tenten prepared a handful of kunai and shuriken. The monsters kept chuckling…

Tenten jumped high in the air and launched numberless shuriken and kunai to her enemies. You could swear that the weapons were coming out of thin air…

The monsters became one with the ground to avoid the attack. Tenten's weapons hit nothing but dirt.

One of them suddenly appeared in front of Neji, materializing right in front of him. Luckily, he was fast enough to avoid a claw attack that could easily severe his head. He launched his palm, targeting his opponent's stomach. His fist flew right through the enemy. He looked up and stared at the black eyes of the monster. There was now a big hole in the creature's stomach, but the monster didn't seem affected in the least… it just chuckled and raised its claws again…

Lee kept kicking and punching his opponent but to no avail. The monster didn't even move as the attacks practically flew through it. Lee himself had to dodge every attack the monster made, its claws seeming to be able to cut through stone as if it was hot butter. He jumped away towards Neji and Tenten

"What are we going to do? I can't even touch them!" he shouted as the monster charged towards him again.

Neji ducked another claw strike to the head. "I don't know! This thing's don't even have a chakra system!" he shouted and tried once more to hit his opponent, who just sat there to accept the attack which once more flew right through him.

"What do you mean?" Tenten asked as she barely dodged another strike. Her weapons couldn't even parry these claws, as the hand went right through them. They didn't fly through her long sleeve blouse though, as it was already shredded from one of the strikes, leaving her only with her shirt and a wrecked cloth.

"They don't have a system! They're made out of pure chakra!" Neji shouted again and they all jumped away from the monsters to catch their breath. These things seemed unbeatable!

The monsters chuckled evilly at the weakness of their opponents. They were such an easy prey…

Suddenly, the darkness was pierced with light

"Meimei Kaihou: Shinpai! (Divine Release: Judgment)" a voice yelled, but one couldn't make out if it was male or female. It just… was.

Light started emitting from the center of the dark monstrosities. They screamed as the light became stronger and stronger, and in the end, these monsters of shadow were consumed in a white-golden light. The three teens just blinked in confusion at the sudden turn of the battle. Looking around, they noticed the dome of darkness retreating back, allowing more of the morning sunlight to wash the land. They could swear they saw something flying into the woods with blinding speed, but they weren't sure what it was, the darkness still having hidden most of the surrounding area.

Neji looked behind him, sensing a strange chakra presence, but as his pale eyes met golden-white ones, the light of the world faded, leaving him in the darkness of unconsciousness…

His teammates were next to fall…

XxxxX

'_What the hell is this?!' _he kept thinking to himself as he tried his best to dodge the shadows. They weren't like the Nara clan's shadows… this ones could eat you for breakfast.

Shredded pieces of wood were lying everywhere. The lavender-eyed girl dodged another shadow beam, which enveloped the tree behind her…

As the shadow enveloped the whole tree, it faded, leaving the tree seemingly untouched for a second.

Then it fell to the ground… in pieces…

"Stop running away from your fate!" the black dressed man yelled as his shadows kept attacking. Both Naruto and Hinata were hailing shuriken and kunai towards him every now and then.

Too bad the weapons were lost in darkness as the shadows enveloped and seemingly vaporized them.

Naruto couldn't do anything else. He couldn't get near the guy, for the closest he was, the fastest the shadows were. And he could barely dodge them right now…

"Hinata! Run!" he shouted suddenly and the teen was surprised nonetheless. Naruto… run away from battle?

"We can't defeat him! He might even kill you!" he shouted again as a shadow beam run right above his left arm, shredding the cloth while luckily leaving only a gash on the skin. Naruto winced for a split second before jumping away.

Hinata was touched nonetheless, that he wanted to flee in order to keep her safe. Yet again, they really couldn't defeat him… not now.

They both balanced their step and prepared to run away

"Oh, no you don't!" the man shouted again. His hands flew like crazy through small series of hand seals.

"Kage Shakuhou: Kage Engai! (Shadow Release: Shadow Dome)" he yelled…

The teen's feet came to an immediate halt as mere meters from their position… shadows started rising…

They kept rising and rising till a great wall was created. It turned and started heading towards the other side. Soon, a dome was created in their vicinity, enveloping the area in darkness, allowing only a small opening at the top of it in order to let air and a little light to enter. Too bad… the opening was more than one hundred feet high…

"What the hell?!" Naruto shouted, surprised at the sudden change of events. They turned around to look at the tall black figure, who now was a mere foot away from them. They shivered… his face was now completely hidden in the darkness, while the only thing that let them know he was there was his chakra signature and his evil chuckle.

The chuckle turned to a maniac laughter as the man launched his head back and laughed his heart out.

He composed himself, but a wide evil grin was visible under the shadows

"Not hell kid. Not even close!" he shouted and launched his hands forwards as if wanting to grasp them.

Naruto knew what that meant. They now were in a Shadow Dome, with nearly no light! Shit! This wasn't good! The shadows now were everywhere, which meant that the whole area was under his full, deadly control…

What could he do? He could feel the man's chakra becoming one with the shadows, and they in turn rose and started to take the shape of a pointy triangle, ready to pierce right through them. He could feel the shadows enveloping, but could not see them!

Things were like shit…

As the shadows were ready to charge towards them and finish them off…

"Meimei Kaihou: Tenrai Tomoshibi! (Divine Release: Divine Light" a voice yelled, but it was just a voice, as if it came from nothing. One could swear… that this voice was pure light…

The shadows were suddenly destroyed, as soft golden light washed the darkness away. Both teens were practically blinded by the power. They felt hands grasping them, but before they could even react, their world was turned in a realm of darkness…

XxxxX

Sakura slowly opened her eyes… and gasped.

The last thing she remembered was her lying in her sleeping bag.

Now… she was sited on a rock, her back being against something hard, yet soft altogether.

Turning her head around, she saw the edge of an onyx haired head. Her world brightened realizing who it was. To her relief, she also realized that she wasn't tied up. Turning her whole body around, she hugged Sasuke's unconscious form and rested his head on her lap. His peaceful expression was enough to bring a smile on her lips

"I see you're quite affectionate for this youth, aren't you?" she heard a voice saying, but there was no mock in its words, no anger, no fear. It had pure sincerity.

Even so, thanks to her ninja and natural reflexes, her free hand flew to her thigh to catch a kunai. Too bad, the weapons holster wasn't there

"Now, now, let us not resort to violence. I'm sure we can short things out?" the voice said once more, curiosity and seriousness mixed together.

She looked around, but saw no one. "What the hell is going on?" she asked, clearly irritated. She heard the voice making a 'hmm' sound

"Now, hell isn't the right word to use here. Look around you." The voice said and she obeyed, even hesitantly. It was then that she really took notice of her surroundings.

She was on a large round rock, Sasuke in her lap. Around them were only trees, above them was only the clear blue sky. They were in a clearing… a rather strange clearing if you think that there was only a large rock in the middle of it!

It was then that she also realized the presence of her two other friends. Naruto and Hinata were lying a few feet away from them, they too on the rock.

She gasped and she was ready to rush to their side, if only to check if they were alive

The voice halted her movements once more "Don't you worry about them. They are not harmed. I have other matters to talk to you about, but I need all of you awake. If you please now, let him out of your lap." It said gently and she obeyed. Lifting Sasuke's head from her lap, she noticed that his eyelids immediately started to rise

When he was fully awake, he jumped upwards, standing on his feet and looking around like crazy, as if expecting a monster to jump out of nowhere. It was then that he noticed his pink haired teammate sitting next to him, looking at him as if he had grown a second head. He sighed and calmed down. "Sakura… were are we?" he asked

The attention of them both was caught but a loud 'Awww' of annoyance at their left. Naruto was awake…

The blond did the same thing as Sasuke, though he looked more panicked, waving his hands around and shouting curses and threats to a 'black dressed man' as they managed to make out from his shouts.

Both of them pumped him on the head with Sakura shouting a 'Shut up you baka!'

It was then that they noticed Hinata was also awake, having sat down next to them with her eyes looking at them worriedly, as if expecting them to fall down any minute now.

"Now, if you are done arguing and such…" they all jumped, surprised at the sudden addition of voices. It was male…

Turning to their left, they saw a white dressed man walking slowly towards them. He wore a long white robe, his hands hidden in his long sleeves as a white hood also hid his face. His chin, mouth and the edge of his nose were visible under the hood. He had a short, white-blond beard. They also noticed that the robe was decorated with golden lines gracing the white cloth of the robe.

The man smiled

"A-Are you a monk?" Naruto managed to say. He, like the other three were stunned at the sudden appearance of the man. Well, you can also add the strange, yet fancy outfit…

The man chuckled to himself "No, no my friend. A monk I am not, at least not by the meaning you give to the word, that is." He said gently, his voice not too harsh, not too soft. The balance was clearly audible.

"Ano… what's going on here?" Hinata asked and they were all again a little surprised that she talked.

The man smiled again "This is something I'd also love to know" he said sighing, yet the smile that graced his lips didn't falter.

They all looked at him curiously, expecting an explanation. The sooner the better…

"Well, well, from were should I begin?" he said and sat down cross-legged on the rock. He motioned them to follow his example and they all mimicked his movement.

"There are powers beyond that of human understanding in this world. Am I correct?" he asked rhetorically and they all nodded. He smiled again "Well, this powers, even if they are not to be understood, they exist, don't they?" he asked again, his expression seeming serious under the hood.

They all looked at each other, as if expecting to find the answer in each other's eyes. Naruto shrugged "I guess… yeah" he said, bringing the demon inside him in his mind. Kyuubi existed, even if he didn't really understand his powers.

"Good" the man said and smiled again. "There is an unbalance lurking in the world right now, and you were unfortunately caught in the middle of a small conflict. I and my… men, managed to save you, but I must warn you" he said and his expression once more was serious. They could feel the seriousness emitting in the air around the man.

"Do not interfere, unless your life is at stake. You will not have the luck of us saving you every time my children. Now, if you please, I will take my leave." He said and stood up. Naruto's eyes went wide

"Wait! You haven't even told us your name!" he shouted. The man smiled

"All you have to know is that you must not interfere with the balance of the forces. Enough has happened, you should return to your original journey" he said and motioned them to stand up. They did

"Head north. The road is only a kilometer or so away from here." He said, pointing at the direction of the road. He smiled at them, and they saw that light started enveloping him. His smile never faltered

"Good luck, my children." He said as the light had nearly enveloped all of him

"_We might meet again" _they heard his voice whispering as the light suddenly vanished, and with it the man was also gone…

"Weird" Naruto finally exclaimed as he rubbed the back of his head. What did the man mean by that?

Sasuke shrugged. "Probably problems between some villages, and we were caught in the middle. We should just keep going with the original plan" he said and looked at the others, who all nodded except Naruto, he still being a little confused.

A natural instinct then took over the blonde's senses. And he knew exactly what time it was…

"Launch time!!" he yelled happily and rushed for his backpack. He had noticed their items lying at the other end of the rock before. Opening his own with haste, his eyes started to beam as his hands touched what he thought as the gift of the heaven to the world.

Ramen

He took the packs of instant ramen out of the backpack.

He could rant about ramen all day long, but thankfully, Sasuke and Sakura were there to silence him before he could even begin. It was funny that the dobe could eat ramen at any time of the day, since now it seemed that the sunset was nearing slowly…

After an hour, and a physically satisfied Naruto, they began their journey to the unknown once more…

XxxxX

Neji's eyelids started to open slowly, his vision still blur and dizzy. He managed to make out… a white wall?

Wait… he knew this white wall… it was… his bedrooms white wall!

Wait… all of the Hyuuga's compound's walls were white! How the hell did he recognize his own…?

He shook these thoughts away as they made little sense. He looked around to recognize the rest of his bedroom. What the hell was going on?

"Aaah, at last awake my child?" he heard a male voice saying gently, yet his hand immediately flied for his weapon pouch… which wasn't there…

"Easy now, violence won't solve anything" he heard the same voice saying. He looked at the edge of his bed, only to see a tall man dressed in a long white robe sitting there. The man was looking at him, yet his eyes were hidden under his hood. A smile was evident under his bearded face.

"Who are you?" Neji asked, a little too confused as to how this man managed to enter the compound without being noticed by anyone.

The man's smile didn't falter "I am here to tell you everything will be alright." He said, sincerity covering his words. What did he mean?

It was then that Neji remembered the previous events. He was sent out on a mission… and encountered these strange monsters on his way…

"What you fought with was something beyond what any ninja could handle my friend. Please, forget about it. Now, about your 'mission'…" he said, and smiled again. "I have taken care of your respected leader. Please don't take me wrong, I have just erased from his memory the fact that he wanted to seal his daughter. The girl is now safe," he said and at this, Neji calmed down. But another question lurked in his mind…

"You still haven't told me who are you, and why you saved us?" he expected the man to have helped his allies too. His smile had yet to fall from his lips

"Your friends are safe, if that is what you want to know. As to who I am and why my men saved you, let's just say that we have some affairs with the monsters that came against you. All you have to know about me is that I exist." He said and light covered him. In a flash, he was gone… but a split second before the light faded, Neji heard words being whispered in his mind

"_Live your life, young Hyuuga. Your cousin is in good hands…"_ the voice whispered before everything went silent. Looking outside, he noticed the sky had began to go orange. The sunset was nearing…

XxxxX

"Oi teme! A town!" a blond teen shouted excitedly at the sight of civilization. Sasuke 'Hned' while the two girls seemed to beam with light. At least Sakura did…

"A town!!" the pink haired girl shouted in excitement. The other three eyed her questioningly. "What? Can't I be loud for once?" she asked and glared at them all, who took a step back. Sakura's anger could easily match Tsunade's…

"Well what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Naruto shouted again and they all started walking towards the little town.

XxxxX

"Wow!" Sakura beamed as her eyes turned into stars. She was eyeing a pink-red dress, white stripes running around the cloth, making it look like strawberry with vanilla lining.

Hinata on the other hand, seemed to prefer a plain lavender dress. Both boys stood behind them, lost in their own thoughts

'_It fits with her eyes…' _Naruto thought as he glanced between the dress Hinata was looking at and the said person. He shook his head as thoughts, some a little inappropriate, entered his mind. He turned around looking at nothing in particular as people kept walking between them to their respective jobs. '_I'm not a pervert, I'm not a pervert, I'm not a pervert…' _he kept thinking to himself. He didn't want to be like his perverted senseis… at the thought of his old sensei, his mood darkened.

Yes Jiraiya was a perverted old fool… but his death wasn't something he could ever wish for…

_Flashback_

"Naruto! Get the hell out of here!" Jiraiya yelled as the ceiling of the roof started to collapse. Pein, along with his six bodies turned their gaze to the blond. Naruto stood right next to his sensei, who was bleeding badly, barely able to keep breathing.

"No! I can't leave you here!" the blond yelled. Jiraiya frowned "Go now you fool! There are people out there who need you!" he said with all the power he could master. Team seven waited for him outside, Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sakura were all battling with the other members of the Akatsuki. Only Kisame and Itachi were absent from the battleground. "I don't think so" all of Pein's bodies said in unison as they glared at the blond teen. Naruto frowned but a large chunk of rock that fell a few feet to his left reminded him of the situation.

"Then I'll take you bastard with me!" Naruto shouted angrily. Jiraiya coughed blood "No… Naruto… get out… of here… please…" he said weakly, his powers being drained. Naruto looked worriedly at his sensei… he had said please…

Before he could contemplate further on what to do, one of the bodies charged against him. The others circled around him, just standing there.

Naruto knew what he was doing. He was getting a full field of vision. The Rinnengan had the ability to link visual contact among Pein's bodies, thus giving him a field of vision that outmatched the Byakugan, since one, in this case Pein, had six points of view.

The body attacked at full speed, and Naruto, who was already tired from the battle, could barely dodge the attacks. A kick found him in the gut…

He was sent flying above the bodies and near the exit. The bodies ignored him as they turned towards Jiraiya once again. The roof of the cave slowly kept falling. The only reason that it hadn't collapsed was because of one of Pein's earth Jutsus that kept the rocks together. But even Pein isn't god right?

Pein himself took out a kunai from inside his robe. He eyed the wounded Jiraiya. "Now… I shall finish this…" he said and slowly walked towards the defenseless hermit. Naruto could only stare as his own powers were fading. That kick was quite hard…

"Naruto! Get… out of here!" Jiraiya managed to say one last time before he collapsed. He coughed blood again and raised himself with all the strength remaining in his hands. He raised his head to look at Pein's smirking face.

"It has come to an end, Jiraiya-sama," he said, faking formality. Jiraiya made a fake smile "Indeed it has" he said and grabbed Pein's leg. Whispering something, Pein felt all the control he had over the earth Jutsu fading

"What the…?" he said and looked up. The ceiling was now falling…

"Damn you!" he shouted and kicked the hermit away. He turned towards the exit…

Naruto stood there, right at the exit of the cave. He was smirking…

A Rasengan had formed in the blonde's hand. He glared as Pein's expression turned from surprise to horror.

"See you in the afterlife!" he shouted and rammed the Rasengan at the top of the opening, smashing the stones and letting the entrance crumble.

"Nooooooo…." He heard Pein's voice fading as the sound of massive rocks smashing was heard. A flicker of light blinded his vision for a second, but he thought it was just the sun. Turning around…

"Hey… dobe… had… fun?" Sasuke managed to say between his breaths. He clearly looked exhausted from the battle. Kakashi stood next to him, blood covering parts of his body. The silver haired ninja noticed his student's worried look

"Not mine" he simply said, simply raising his hand to wave off the worry. Naruto sighed

Sakura herself had managed to survive through the slaughter. The whole force they had brought with them to take out the Akatsuki hideout had turned in a battle for survival, as the Akatsuki members killed their fellow ninjas just for fun.

Finally… this menace had come to an end.

The pink haired girl smiled weakly at her team. She was wounded, some deep cuts gracing her legs and hands.

Kakashi eyed them all "Any sign of Itachi… or Kisame?" he asked. They all shook their heads. He sighed

"It looks like they haven't entered the battle at all," Sakura said and Sasuke ground his teeth. He thought this was his chance to finally battle his brother…

"What about Jiraiya-sama?" Kakashi asked again and all three looked at Naruto. The teen lowered his head, reminded of what had happened…

_End Flashback_

"Naruto! Help!!" he heard Sasuke shouting. Quickly turning around, the sight before him made him want to laugh his head off.

Sakura was dragging Sasuke in the cloth store, while he struggled to free himself. Naruto smirked. He knew his brother could easily escape. He took notice of Sasuke's slight smirk a second before they entered the store…

He felt someone tugging his sleeve. Turning to his left, he saw Hinata's pouting face pleading him to come with her. He sighed and shook his head. She made the most irresistible puppy dog eyes he had ever seen. He sighed again and nodded, pretending to be annoyed. Hinata giggled and hastily walked towards the store, still holding on Naruto's sleeve. When she was sure that her front was out of his sight, she finally allowed a slight blush to grace her pale face…

XxxxX

"Damn it…" Sasuke mumbled to himself as he sat on a small couch, still waiting for Sakura to change. It had been around an hour doing the exact same things. Why did he let her drag him into this again…?

She would gather a bunch of clothes, enter the changing cabin, exit and ask him his opinion. He would 'Hn' and she would nod, as if he had openly said he liked it. She would go back in and try something else on…

He turned his gaze to the left, were Naruto sat on a chair waiting for Hinata to come out of her own changing cabin.

He sighed. The dobe must have been taking it even harder than him, since he wasn't allowed to bounce around or yell like crazy. He smirked…

"Wow, that looks great Hinata-chan!" Naruto exclaimed happily as Hinata got out of the changing room. She wore a blue round hat, a white long sleeved shirt and lavender pants that reached down her knees. The only thing that showed she was a ninja were the sandals she still wore.

She smiled "Thank you Naruto-kun," she said but she couldn't help but blush slightly. He would always praise every cloth she wore. She started to think he just did it because he had to, not because he really found her pretty. She was a little disappointed at this thought but didn't let this show on her features.

This… _perfect_… features by Naruto's opinion…

Wait, when did he start thinking like this again?

He shook these thoughts away as she entered the cabin once more. He noticed her picking up something lavender before she did so. What outfit was up next…?

XxxxX

"Alright! How's that looking?" Sakura asked excitedly and couldn't feel more satisfied in her whole life. Sasuke was ready to drool in front of her.

She was wearing the pink-red and white-lined dress they had seen before. It was sleeveless, the crook of the neck being clearly visible while her sides her also exposed from the cloth. The dress reached down her feet, hiding her shoes or whatever she wore. Sasuke couldn't help but stare…

"This… looks good…" he finally said as he composed himself. Sakura giggled. It was so obvious that he found it more than gorgeous…

XxxxX

Naruto patted his feet in anxiety. What was up next? To tell the truth, it didn't really matter. Anything she would wear looked good on her…

He turned around, hearing a ruffle from the direction of the cabin. At what he saw… he could swear he was dreaming…

Hinata walked out of the cabin, her feet hidden under the long dress. It was this… lavender dress they had seen before! He could swear he hadn't seen anything more beautiful. Even a pork ramen deluxe couldn't match this sight.

The dress fitted her perfectly, complementing the right curves. It was sleeveless and the crook of the neck wasn't covered, while two strands of cloth on the shoulders kept the lavender cloth from falling. Her back was also exposed, leaving the pale skin visible.

She had also rounded up her long hair in a big bun, letting the whole beauty of the dress be visible.

He was sure that the cloth was soft like silk... he wanted to check if this pale skin was silky too…

Hinata blushed at his gaze, the red taint visible on her pale face. Naruto was staring at her as if there was nothing else existing in the world…

He shook his thoughts away as Hinata waved a hand in front of his face "Naruto-kun, are you alright?" she asked a little worriedly. He was zoned out for more than a minute now. He shook his head "I'm fine Hinata-chan. This dress looks fantastic!" he exclaimed happily. She smiled, yet blushed altogether. She could see the sincerity in his voice, in his face, in his eyes. It was all over him…

XxxxX

After another hour of endless clothe searching, the girls finally managed to find an outfit that they really liked. To the guy's secret disappointment, the dresses they had seen before weren't in their choices. Sasuke could swear though that he saw Sakura slipping something in the bags…

XxxxX

"So, what about that town?" asked a blue skinned man. His cheeks were lined with three large lines each, giving you the impression that he was a shark. He had canines while his eyes were small and round. His hair were 'Kakashi-style' but blue in color. On his shoulder he held one of the legendary swords of the Seven Swordsmen of The Mist. He wore a long high collar black robe with crimson red clouds scattered around.

Who else could it be than Hoshikagi Kisame?

The man standing next to him eyed him with his red gaze. His long onyx hair where caught in a ponytail, while two small lines went down between his eyes and nose. He too wore the same robe as his ally. He had the Sharingan bloodline limit that now graced only two people in the world with its power. One of the holders was Uchiha Sasuke, ninja of Konoha.

The other, Uchiha Itachi, slaughterer of his own clan and high ranked missing nin.

And this man stood right now beside Kisame, his red Sharingan gaze having befallen on his combrade.

"What?" Kisame asked a little afraid. Itachi sighed. "Nothing… nothing" he said while he shook his head. His eyes turned their normal onyx color again. "Let's move on, there's a town up ahead." He said and started walking.

Kisame stared at him a little surprised "What? That's what I said!" he said and hastily fell in step with his teammate…

XxxxX

A man dressed in a black robe was slowly walking down the road. His gaze was fixed right in front of him, down towards the horizon. His eyes were caught by the sight of a sign at the left of the road. He didn't stop to read it but he could make out big letters that could only evidence one thing.

If one could see in his robes, he could take notice of the man's hands stroking a strange sword with anxiety at what was to come next.

He was nearing a town…

XxxxX

At the western part of the little town, two men, both dressed in long white robes with hoods hiding their faces sat cross-legged atop a hilltop, gazing over the small community. The one at the left had a short grey-blond beard while the one next to him seemed to have a much younger face. The small part of his visible features evidenced that his face was more than beautiful. They both seemed to stare at the small town even if their eyes were hidden under the hoods

"What do you think senpai? Should we allow things to roll on their own?" the young one asked, his voice evidencing a young male man. The older one stayed still for a moment.

"Hmmm…" he said, evidencing his deep thought.

"Be patient young one. We shall see… I just hope that we don't come to this…" he said, a little bit of fear evident in his otherwise sure and serious, yet gentle, voice.

"Senpai, you knew that the day would come. People have the right to know…" the young man was cut off as the older one raised his hand

"My child, you must understand that some things aren't for the ears, nor the eyes, of the many." He said wisely while he lowered his hand. He sighed

"We still don't know what the Lord really plans…" he added. The young man smiled "Did we ever?" he said, mock not evident in his own gentle voice. The older man smiled himself.

"You are right. But humans have the right of free will. We will not interfere unless needed." He said and nodded. The young one nodded himself.

"I understand. Let us hope that things will go well. Otherwise _he _might not survive…" he said a little worriedly as he trailed off. The old man nodded again "True. This youngster is such a rare occasion…" he said a little worriedly himself. "But you know we can't define His will. Things will go as He wishes" the old man added. The young one nodded

"Let us hope He knows how to wish…"

XxxxX

They exited the clothing store and it was then that they realized that night was really setting. Hinata suggested finding a hotel to stay the night and so they did. After a few minutes of searching, they found an economically satisfying hotel. They took two rooms, one for Hinata and Sakura and one for Naruto and Sasuke, each one with two beds. Each room was at either side of the hallway, boys to the left, girls to the right.

After they settled their things in their rooms, they met up again in the entrance of the hotel. They were all grinning. Naruto's stomach made a loud rumble, evidencing his natural situation. Sasuke sweat dropped

"Dobe, you ate five bowls of instant ramen before we left the forest." He said, a little amazed that Naruto could burn food that fast. The said blond brought his hand behind his head in embarrassment. "Yeah, but I guess it's because I usually eat nine and…" he cut himself off as he noticed a vein twitching wildly on Sakura's forehead. Yep, she was sure he would start ranting about ramen again…

Sasuke and Hinata sweat dropped as Hinata tried to get Naruto's attention away from ramen and Sasuke tried to calm Sakura down. Too bad… they were failing miserably…

Hinata tugged his sleeve and made this irresistible puppy dog eyes once more. Naruto couldn't help but crumble…

Sasuke resorted to the final thing he could do to hold Sakura back. He kissed her on the cheek. She froze right at that spot. It was as if time had suddenly stopped. Yep, her anger was forgotten for sure…

"Very well, we should find somewhere to eat" Sasuke suggested and the others nodded, Sakura having merely done it since she was still a little stunned at Sasuke's act. Naruto on the other hand caught himself stealing glances at Hinata, as if expecting to see that wonderful pale lavender eyes do that pout again.

What was wrong with him?

He shook these thoughts away as he remembered what Sasuke said. His mind went on overload with one word

Food

"Food? Can we have…" he was cut off once more as he noticed Sakura's glare, her anger ready to flare at any moment. He sighed…

XxxxX

As they left the hotel and turned around a corner, a pair of men dressed in a black robe with crimson clouds walked down the street towards the hotel. Their steps were halted. The onyx haired one eyed the sign that hung above their heads. The blue skinned man next to him was looking around, as if in high alert.

"Itachi… something doesn't feel right…" he said worriedly. The named man eyed his ally. "I know" he said and walked in the hotel, Kisame following behind. They stood before the counter, a young woman smiling softly at them both. Both Itachi and Kisame were smiling back. The first having put up a genjutsu from their first moment in town, making them both look like normal civilians.

"May I help you?" the woman asked gently. Itachi nodded "We would like to have a room please" he said gently himself. Kisame stayed silent and just kept the smile on his face. The woman nodded and got out of a drawer the customer catalog. She gave Itachi a pen.

As the missing nin wrote down their names, fake ones of course, he took notice of a very, _very _familiar name at the latest entities of the catalog. He smirked inwardly. Two birds with one stone…

XxxxX

They had finally found a nice restaurant at the edge of town, not far from their hotel. They all sat down at a table, which found itself near the windows. Looking outside, one could see the dark forests that enveloped the land beyond the small town. There was also a hill among them… the moon hanging right at the top of it, like a ball of light based on the structure of nature. The two males sat next to each other, facing the females of the small company. Sasuke smirked, Naruto and Sakura grinned while Hinata smiled.

The lavender eyed girl felt a little weird being away from her former team. She was used to them, used to their presence, used to their attitudes. But this group was a new one. Thankfully, it wasn't unpleasant at all. Sakura was more than a good company and Sasuke wasn't the 'Iceberg' people thought him as. And of course, it was also Naruto…

Naruto looked between Sakura and Hinata. It was quite amusing. Sakura had short, bright pink hair while Hinata had long ink-blue. Sakura was more tan skinned while Hinata pale skinned. Sakura was always angry against him while Hinata was always gentle and caring.

Wait a minute…

Now that he thought about it… there was no other person that acted like that towards him. She was the only one that cared… from the beginning… his memory flashed at the time she gave him that medicine three years ago at the preliminaries of the Chuunin exam. It flashed again when she encouraged him before his battle with Neji. No one had acted like that for him before. Were everyone wanted to make him pity himself, she made him believe in it once more. She wasn't simply a nice person, a person he liked. She was…

"Dobe, what do you want?" Sasuke asked as he raised an eyebrow towards his 'brother'. Naruto shook his head. Eyeing the catalogue quickly one more time, he noticed that there was no ramen! He finally ordered Sushi…

Sasuke faked boredom as he looked between his friends, his gaze locking on Sakura for a mere more second. She had stopped a long time acting like a fan girl. She was more like a friend now, and she treated him like a normal person, rather than the 'All mighty Uchiha'. He liked it. She, along with Hinata, was one of the few girls right now that didn't fan girl him in Konoha. He liked it even more. She had bright pink hair and green emerald eyes. Imagine what children might come…

He shook the thoughts away. Where was his mind getting him? He had other matters to attend to right now. He would get to warm Sakura up later…

"So, what are we doing?" he asked out of the blue. All three eyed him as if he was crazy

"Umm, we're in a restaurant and are about to eat?" Naruto asked rhetorically. The girls nodded slowly. Sasuke glared at the blond

"Dobe, I mean, what happens when we finish dodging the ninjas and such? Where will we go?" he said and now the girls nodded while Naruto brought his hand to his chin as if in deep thought.

Sakura raised her hand "I think we should head north, out of Fire Country. Lighting is a rather good country ne? We might find new techniques and such" she said with a smile. Sasuke 'Hned'.

"We can't. Lighting is in war with the Sand. We would get in the middle of conflict…" he was cut off as he noticed Naruto's eyes had gone wide.

He looked at them all wide eyed and then made a grin that one could think was impossible for a face to plaster.

"Gaara!!" he shouted excitedly and earned a pump on the head from Sasuke. Sakura was held back by Hinata…

Hinata looked at Naruto a little worriedly "You know the Kazekage?" she asked. Naruto nodded vigorously

"Gaara is a friend and a former Jinchuuriki! We can stay in Suna for a while" he said and nodded, agreeing with himself. The others sighed

"Naruto, Suna and Iwa are in war. If we interfere, we might get caught in the middle of the conflict." Sakura said wisely, filling the hole that Naruto forgot. The blond hung his head in disappointment.

An idea flashed in his mind then, an idea that he had buried in his mind, an idea of a place that wasn't too far from here, but not to close. It would be a close call, but it was all they had. He grinned to himself again.

"What about the west? I think there are some clans there that have cool techniques we could get with my Sharingan" Sasuke suggested. "Stealing techniques isn't that wise. And, we will most likely have to fight them in order to let you copy them. We might just end up getting killed in the end," she said, countering his idea.

"What about Orochimaru, Sasuke-san? Isn't he a threat?" Hinata asked worriedly. She hadn't forgot that Naruto barely managed to bring Sasuke back from the battle at the valley of the end. After Naruto's Rasengan and Sasuke's Chidori clashed, Sasuke was thrown unconscious and Naruto, who managed to keep himself awake, brought the Uchiha back. Afterwards, the raven-haired boy was freed of the cursed seal and Tsunade assured them that such an attempt was most unlikely to happen again. The seal corrupted his mind, making only vengeance and hatred guide his vision.

He was able to see clearly now, and he was one of the best ninjas Konoha _had _to offer. For the Uchiha clan wasn't part of it anymore…

Sasuke 'Hned' with a smirk and stroke his blade, which he had placed standing next to him. It was a silent 'Let him come'. She smiled, but worry wasn't taken off completely. It just couldn't…

"Oi, guys. I know where we can go," Naruto said out of the blue and all attention from his three friends was once more drawn on him. It was rare of him to speak seriously, and now… he did.

"Where?" They all asked at the same time. Naruto's grin was wide as ever.

"Listen up" he said and now his look turned serious. He looked around worriedly, as if expecting to see someone spying on them. When he was sure that there were no prying ears or eyes around, he turned to his friends with a grin.

He started explaining. During his three years of travel with Jiraiya, he and the hermit had passed by a village to the north. It was quite far away from here and it would be a little dangerous journey.

"But Naruto-kun, what kind of village?" the lavender eyed kunoichi asked worriedly. The other two nodded. Naruto grinned at her and then looked at his other teammates.

"Well, I should take the story from the beginning ne?" he asked with a grin. The others nodded and smiled themselves.

_Flashback_

Naruto and Jiraiya were walking down the road in the middle of a small forest. Trees were to their left and right while the sky above their heads was clear and sunny. A perfect day…

"So, Ero-sennin, where are we going now?!" Asked an overexcited blond. Jiraiya frowned at the hearing of his nickname. "We are going to meet a friend of mine. And stop calling me Ero-sennin!" he yelled the last sentence in the blond's ear, who was taken aback a little.

"And you stop yelling at me!" he shouted back. Jiraiya sighed at his student's foolishness and let the matter drop. He knew they would end up in a dead end anyway…

XxxxX

It had been around half an hour of walking when they finally exited the forest. Naruto's eyes went so wide, that if you tacked him on the back of his head, they would pop out for sure. The sight before him was amazing…

Till the end of were the eye can see, was an endless valley. Down the horizon, he made out the form of what must have been a mountain. Though it looked like a large rock from his point of view right now. The valley seemed endless as at his left and right was only the flowered or grassy campus. He could make out the cliffs at each side of the valley. But if you looked down the road, the path of dirt seemed to be lost in the horizon, leading to that rock that must be a mountain in close.

Jiraiya grinned widely, seeing his pupils look of amazement. He started walking down the path. "Come on kid, his house is a few minutes away!" he shouted as Naruto was still standing there, staring at the endless fields of green.

Naruto was shot out of his trance and looked at his sensei, who was now quite a few meters away. "Hey wait up!" he shouted and dashed behind him…

XxxxX

After a few more minutes of walking, Jiraiya halted his movement, making Naruto bump into him. "Hey, why did you stop?" the blond asked, clearly irritated. Jiraiya turned to look at him with a grin. "Because we're here kid!" he exclaimed and took a step towards the field. Naruto looked at him confused. There was nothing but green and flowers around them…

Jiraiya stood one step away from the edge of the field. He looked at his pupil and motioned him to stand next to him.

He ran through a series of hand seals stopping with the dragon sign. He reached his hands out with his palms open in front of him

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" he said and Naruto was surprised nonetheless. The series he had made weren't for that technique…

Out of thin air runes and symbols started materializing in a circle in front of Jiraiya's hands. A circle was created and then several lines started expanding to different directions. The runes and symbols started changing, and something that looked like wood started materializing…

A huge house had started materializing right in front of them. It became bigger, and bigger… till it finally revealed a mansion.

It was purely made out of wood. The front was a deep brown color while the rooftop seemed to be painted a bright red color. The door was only a foot away from them.

Jiraiya smirked. The house was just like how he remembered it. "Come on kid. The old fool will be waiting for us" he said and opened the door. Naruto was shot out of his trance as he too stepped in the house and closed the door behind him…

_End Flashback_

"So, you've told us about an enormous valley with endless fields of green and flowers. And a house that materialized out of nothing. Mind telling us about the village now dobe?" Sasuke asked a little curiously. Hinata nodded and smiled while Sakura kept staring at Naruto. He sighed. "I was getting to that teme" he said a little irritated…

_Flashback_

It was noon and darkness would very soon engulf the land in the dark sheet of the night. At the big mansion among the fields, three figures sat in a small room, lighted only by a few candles and the light of the full moon from the open windows. One was the frog hermit, Jiraiya of the Sannin. The second was his pupil, Uzumaki Naruto. The third was…

"Well, how're you doing Jowa?" Jiraiya asked happily while raising his hand in greeting. The old man in front of them was as tall as Jiraiya, while Naruto was a little shorter.

"Better than usual" Jowa answered, his voice a little harsh and old. Naruto had realized that this man must have been really old, since he had no hair, but a nice bald head. He also had a long pointy gray beard gracing his chin. He wore a long, dull yellow robe with what seemed to be white clouds flying around. At the center lied a bright sun, numerous lines expanding from the ball.

Jowa's old face formed what seemed to be a smile. Naruto was looking a little strangely at this new acquaintance. This man looked weird…

"If I am weird, then how weird is a ninja with bright orange clothes?" Jowa said as if he read his mind. He didn't have to, for Naruto's look on the man said everything the teen didn't put in words.

Naruto's eyes went wide as he stared at the old man. "Wait, you read my mind?!" he asked, clearly surprised. Jowa smiled

"No, but what you said right now confirmed my words" he said and his smile was wide as ever. Naruto looked down disappointed with himself. Jowa chuckled

"You've got much to learn young one…" he said and sat down cross-legged, a cup of steaming tea lying next to him. Jiraiya and Naruto followed his example and sat down themselves.

"So, Jiraiya, how could an old fool like me be of use?" Jowa asked gently. Jiraiya chuckled "Always praising yourself eh?" he asked rhetorically and the man in front of him chuckled. Naruto was boringly looking at them.

"And, I see you also got a pupil. Does he make you read his books kid?" Jowa asked worriedly. Naruto was immediately shot out of his trance. "What! No, no! I would never read Ero-sennin's books!" he said while waving his hands in defense and pointing at his sensei. Jiraiya sighed while Jowa kept chuckling

"A new nickname Jiraiya? I must say, it is better than the 'baka' Tsunade gave you." He said and chuckled. Jiraiya glared at him and then turned his glare towards his student, who was still defending himself without having noticed that Jowa wasn't interested in that subject anymore.

He gave Naruto a pummel on the head "No, this brat over here has that title and I swear to god, he is the word in flesh and bones." He said and chuckled himself. Naruto pouted "Hey, what was that about?" Both men sighed and looked between each other.

"How long have you been training him, Jiraiya?" Jowa asked and both student and teacher looked at him.

"Two years." Jiraiya answered seriously. Jowa nodded. "I see, and how long will the training last?" he asked again and Jiraiya took a glance of Naruto, who was still looking at the old man. "One more year" he said and Jowa nodded again. "Good. Now, I'd like to ask the boy a few questions. I don't want you to interrupt for any reason Jiraiya." He said seriously and it was the hermit's turn to nod. Naruto looked worriedly at his teacher and then back at the old man. He noticed that the man was looking at him as if trying to read what he wanted in Naruto's face. The boy gulped. Jowa smiled

"Well, Naruto's the name, am I wrong?" he asked rhetorically and Naruto's eyes went wide for a second. How did he know his name?

"I know many things. One of them is your name" Jowa said, his smile never faltering. Naruto nodded. It was as if this man could read his mind…

"Tell me Naruto. Why do you want to be a ninja?" Jowa asked as he took the cup of tea that lied next to him in his hand. Naruto grinned widely.

"That's easy! I want to prove to everyone how strong I am and that I'm not a nobody!" he said happily, proud of himself. Jowa kept smiling and took a sip from his tea.

"I see. And, why do you want to train and become stronger?" he asked again and Naruto looked at him as if he was crazy.

"What are you talking about? How will I become Hokage if I'm not strong?" he asked and grinned widely. Jowa nodded "So, you want to be the Hokage of Konohakagure?" he asked seriously, his expression a copy of his voice. Naruto nodded vigorously. "Hmm… why?" Jowa asked again as he took another sip from his tea.

Naruto was still grinning widely "Because when I'll be Hokage, I'll be the strongest ninja in the village! Then everyone will see how strong I really am and they'll stop hating me." He said and his expression grew a little sad. Jowa looked at him strangely for a moment, as if his eyes pierced into his soul. He smiled

"Doesn't anyone in there love you?" he asked as he took another sip. His smile was wide as ever. Naruto shook his head "No one loves me… well Tsunade-Obaa-chan does, maybe Ero-sennin too, even though he's a pervert and such" he threw a smirk at his sensei who ground his teeth. Naruto never lost a chance to point out Jiraiya's perverted side.

"No one? What I see is different" Jowa said seriously but his smile was still there. Naruto looked at him as if he was crazy. "What are you talking about?" he asked curiously. Jowa chuckled

"There is someone in there that loves you kid. You're just too blind to see it. Focus on something else other than training, and your vision will clear." Jowa said seriously and smiled warmly. Naruto looked confused for a moment. Who would love him in the village, other than Baa-chan and Ero-sennin?

_End Flashback_

"Till today, I haven't yet found that person. I looked and looked again, but never found it. I thought it would be Sakura-chan, but your behavior gives different clues" Naruto said as he grinned widely at Sakura. Hinata was blushing furiously next to her, but Naruto thought it was just the heat. It was a hot night anyway.

Sakura sighed herself. If he was so good at reading her behavior around him, then how the hell hadn't he noticed Hinata's? Naruto was so unpredictable that you couldn't really tell if he truly was an idiot or not, though that's what he showed most of the time…

"Dobe… you still haven't told us about the village…" Sasuke said and the two girls nodded in agreement. Naruto sighed "Alright. After that, 'Someone loves you' thing, they got me out of the room for about… five-ten minutes. When I entered again…"

_Flashback_

Naruto closed the door behind him and sat cross-legged next to his sensei once more. Jiraiya was grinning while Jowa was smiling

"I still don't get why I had to go out" Naruto complained and Jiraiya sighed while he shook his head. Jowa's smile never faltered. "Personal matters, we wanted to catch up with the past. Nothing that should concern you, young one." Jowa said seriously but his smile was still there. Naruto sighed

"So, what goes on around here old man? I mean, you live all alone in the middle of nowhere?" Naruto asked curiously. There was a village, but it was across the forest they came from, quite a few miles away. Jowa kept smiling

"I'm not really alone. There's a village to the north of here, but strange things happen lately. They seem to have a few problems." Jowa said and his expression turned in a one of thought.

North… that mountain that he had seen was north of here. Could the village be there…?

"Is it a hidden village?" Naruto asked again and Jowa eyed him for a second. He then nodded. Naruto searched his memory, but couldn't remember any hidden village being in this vicinity.

"A hidden village it is indeed, but only a few outsiders know its existence. It is… a somewhat rare occasion. You must not tell anybody else about this village young one. You may visit it, but not tell anyone else about it. Am I understood?" Jowa said seriously and Naruto only nodded. The old man smiled…

_End Flashback_

"So, where is this village?" Sakura asked excitedly. Naruto eyed her. "North. Far to the north." He said and all eyes went wide.

"B-But, Naruto-kun… if we go north, we will have to go through Sunakagure…" Hinata said a little worriedly. Naruto nodded. "I know. The old man didn't tell me where exactly the village is, but he told me it was north from his house. And his house is north of Suna. So, here you go. A new village which a few people know, the perfect place for us to begin anew!" he said excitedly. Sasuke, Sakura, Hinata looked between each other for a minute. Naruto sat in his place, waiting for their opinion.

Sakura nodded. Getting through Suna would also let her get a few herbs she would need for some special medicines. Like, 'The Dessert Flower', a plant that could only be found in Suna.

Hinata nodded. If Naruto wanted to go there, then so be it. She would go through hell for him…

Sasuke nodded. He didn't know anywhere else that they could go anyway…

"Yosh! Tomorrow we depart then?" Naruto asked happily and they all smiled, Sasuke smirking.

"You bet" Sakura said

"Alright, N-Naruto-kun" Hinata added

"Hn, ok dobe" Sasuke agreed.

Naruto grinned at them all and it was then that their orders arrived. Naruto's grin seemed to go wider, if that was even possible…

"Let's eat!" he said happily and the others nodded…

XxxxX

At the hilltop of the small hill among the forest outside the restaurant, the full moon made a dark figure visible. It seemed to wear a pitch black robe while his hands seemed to stroke a strange large sword. The darkness couldn't completely hide the smirk that was plastered on his face.

Soon… very soon… his weapon would feast…

XxxxX

After they finished dinner, they sat at the restaurant for a few more hours to contemplate on their journey. What would be the possible dangers and such.

They would have to go through Sunakagure, in order to head north of it towards the valley Naruto had mentioned. If they were lucky, they would get through it easily without having to face Iwa ninjas.

But there was a slight problem. After they were marked MIA, they would have to keep their hitai-ates hidden from plain sight, just so that they wouldn't attract attention. They would also have to go to Suna as travelers, thus reducing the possibility of involving themselves in a fight.

Suna was three days journey from where they were. And in three days… everything can happen…

XxxxX

**A/N: Well, here you go. You guys must have noticed the 'Light/Darkness' thing of the story ne? I must say, I was always attracted to the idea of such things, you know, divine powers against darkness and such. So here I place it in my story in the best way possible. The whole plot will soon run around it. The techniques you read are created from me for the purpose of the story. You know, 'Divine Release/Shadow Release' and such. There's much to come. Please tell me your opinion. A review would be more than appreciated xD**

**Finally, I'd like to tell you guys that once more I'm restarting playing World Of Warcraft, a game most people amongst the globe know. So, I'll be busy and such, gearing up my 70lvl character, so expect updates to take a little longer. Not much, but a little longer indeed  
**

**"Sigh" life is hard. Ain't easy to be an author and a gamer at the same time eh? Please Review!**


	3. Chapter 3: The Travel:Day One

Disclaimer: To own Naruto, or not to own Naruto? There's the question

**CHAPTER 3 RE-POSTED (I wasn't satisfied with the way it was written in the first place, so I made some changes, not major ones, but I am really sure that is more well written now. Re-enjoy xD)**

**A/N: Alright, here I am once more! It took quite longer than usual but hey! I made it worth you a while (hehe). Long chapy, 13k+ words xD. Most of my chapters will be like this, and believe me, it isn't easy! I need inspiration to write like this! **

**I have a dream, that one day, my fic might reach the top. I'm really trying to write a good fic that will stay alive. It isn't easy, and I want to thank my beta and friend Bumblemark for his support as a beta and a fellow author. He tells me that all I need is experience... do I? Anyway, back to our subject, you might notice a small change in my writing style. Hope you like it xD ENJOY! THAT'S AN ORDER! (xD)**

_**Towards The Heaven**_

_**Chapter3: The Travel**_

_**Day 1**_

_**Encounters**_

Morning. What is the ideal morning? A quiet, peaceful bliss covers you as your eyes open. And when they do, you feel rejuvenated. Well, at least that's how our favorite blond Jinchuuriki felt. Now you'll ask, doesn't he feel like that all the time?

Maybe yes, maybe no…

XxxxX

Naruto slowly sat up on his bed, stretching his arms and yawning loudly. His sleepy eyes scanned the room, he finally realized that morning had come. He could even hear carts moving outside on the road, people talking and merchants shouting in this beautiful morning.

He noticed Sasuke was already up. His bed was neatly made and his travel pack was right beside it. He smiled. His nii-san was always ready for anything eh? He turned his head to the right…

From the windows and through the curtains flew the light of the morning sun. How beautiful it was, how… peaceful

Peace. Would he ever find it? Would he ever get out of this freaking mess that he called life? He had abandoned his village along with his friends, for what? Would they manage to find peace at last? Alas, he knew from the moment that he became Shinobi, that peace was rather a forlorn thought. Maybe when he grew old…

Maybe in death? Yeah, that's the only place for a Shinobi to find peace. That's the only place for a lonely soul like his to find it. But… was it peace that he was looking for? Was it?

He sought friendship. And he had it.

What else could he need? What else could make his day brighter than his friends would make it? Even if his mind denied it, even when his friends were around, deep inside him, Naruto knew it. This feeling that hunted his childhood, this feeling that even Sakura or Sasuke couldn't take away.

He felt lonely…

XxxxX

Sakura rubbed her eyes to shake the sleepiness off. Yawning lightly, she took a good look around the room. She smiled at the sight of the young Hyuuga's still sleeping form. That girl really was the something else. She was so collected and shy, even in her sleep. The only indication that she was alive was the tiny rise and fall of her body. Sakura, even with her enhanced hearing from ninja training, could barely make out the girl breathing in the mere silence of the room.

She wondered, what would it be like if this girl finally had Naruto? She knew that the blond baka was her inspiration, her strength in some ways. She really couldn't understand it. How could Naruto inspire you anyway? He was way better in irritating someone, but as it seems, not Hinata. The girl was too god damn good and gentle to rub a punch in his face. Well, it's also the fact that she loves him, but let's leave it for another time. Or shouldn't we…?

A mischievous grin was plastered on Sakura's lips as an idea entered her mind. She got up from bed and started changing in her normal attire, trying to be as silent as possible in order to not wake Hinata. If she did, her plan would be ruined…

XxxxX

Sasuke sat at a chair in the dining room of the hotel, eying people that passed by or letting himself get lost in his thoughts. They also served breakfast, but it was out of the bill to buy a room, so they had to pay extra. He tapped his fingers on the table in front of him while he boringly looked around the hotel. It was all just too normal. There were only a few people around, ordering breakfast or chatting at their respective tables.

He sighed. Life without Naruto around, even if it was for an hour or two, was way too normal for him…

He wondered how Sakura would look like in her sleeping clothes…

Aah, bad Sasuke. Why such thoughts about his teammate kept flashing? He knew he liked her, she was his teammate and friend for so long. But why did such thoughts fly in his mind every now and then? Why would these pretty emerald eyes make his heart melt, even if he didn't show it.

Sasuke Uchiha, was damn good in hiding emotions. His real ones, that is…

XxxxX

Sakura found Naruto out of the hallway, stretching and inhaling deeply the morning air, as if wanting to satisfy some kind of hunger. She grinned. "Oi, Naruto, where's Sasuke-kun?" she asked curiously as she noticed that the Uchiha wasn't with him. It was unlikely of Sasuke to be still asleep…

"The teme? He must be downstairs for breakfast." He said with a grin of his own. Sakura nodded with a smile "Let's go then. I'm hungry!" she said playfully and his grin widened. "Hungry for what…?" he asked slyly, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Sakura blushed slightly as her eyes went wide for a moment, realizing the meaning behind Naruto's question. But it vanished as a grin made its way on her lips.

"Let's get moving" she simply said and turned towards the stairs. Naruto fell in step with her after a few moments, his sly grin still gracing his face.

They now were only a few feet away from the dining room doors. "Oi, Sakura-chan, just in case you know, Sasuke isn't a food, so you can't eat him ok?" he said slyly and Sakura blushed another slight shade of red. She gave him a friendly punch on the arm while she mumbled a 'shut up'. But Naruto couldn't really miss that smile that crept on her face…

XxxxX

It's been around five minutes since they sat at the same table with Sasuke, who immediately seemed to brighten when he saw them. Though he didn't show it, he was glad that they came. He could even stab himself, if only to be saved from the boredom. But now that he thought about it, bleeding to death wouldn't be a good thing ne?

A minute or two passed and it was then that Naruto realized he was hungry, if a rumbling stomach was any indication that is. He left for the counter of the kitchen to order some breakfast for all of them. Sakura stole a glance of the staircase that led down to the small restaurant and she sighed. Good. The person she expected to come had yet to appear. She looked back at Sasuke who once more looked bored as hell. She grinned widely when his eyes met her face. He raised an eyebrow

After a few minutes, Naruto returned with a tray full of bowls of ramen, only to find his friends whispering to one another. Sakura immediately stopped when she saw him coming, and her lips plastered a grin while Sasuke gave him a smirk of his. Naruto grinned back and set the tray on the table, not bothering much about their attitude.

"Oi, where's Hinata?" Sasuke asked out of the blue as Naruto was ready to sit in his chair. The blond halted his movement and looked around, as if expecting the blue haired girl to jump out of nowhere. He shrugged and was once more going to sit down if it had not been for Sakura's audible sigh.

"She must still be sleeping. Naruto, why don't you go wake her up?" she suggested with curiosity and smiled. Naruto eyed her for a moment. "I could, but why don't you go?" he asked curiously. It wasn't that he didn't want to go or something, but entering a girl's room, even if it was in a hotel, wasn't really his style.

"I want to talk to Sasuke-kun about something, privately. We'll be done till you come back" she answered with another smile. Naruto's eyes went wide for a second, but it quickly vanished as he turned to Sasuke with a knowing smirk. To his surprise, the onyx haired teen smirked back. But Naruto didn't sit to contemplate on it. The sooner Hinata was awake, the sooner he would get to eat his ramen! Of course, it wasn't all his. He had three bowls for his friends. Now how did he know what everyone wanted…?

_Flashback_

It was their first day of training together. Sakura had suggested having dinner outside altogether, if only to celebrate the introduction of their newest team member.

"Let's go get some ramen!" Naruto said happily and the pink haired kunoichi sighed while Sasuke barely mumbled a 'dobe'.

"Naruto, why don't we let Hinata decide?" Sakura suggested and smiled at the longhaired girl who walked next to her. "Ano, R-ramen w-would be o-ok I guess…" Hinata said, stuttering lightly as always. Naruto grinned widely at the girl's agreement.

"Tell them Hinata! Ramen is the best food in the world and…" he was cut short as Sakura punched him on the head. She knew all to well that when Naruto started talking about ramen, it would be long. Way too long.

Sasuke smirked while Hinata giggled. She didn't like seeing Naruto hurt, but it was quite humorous when Sakura did it. She always punched Naruto on the head while he mumbled things like 'What was that for?' or 'Sakura-chan hits hard'. If this was the first time she met them, she could swear that they were siblings for sure...

After a few minutes of walk and several bumps on the head for Naruto, they finally reached the ramen bar, which seemed to be in an excellent state in comparison with other stands they had seen on their way there.

"Oi, Teuchi-ojii-san!" Naruto shouted happily and an old man holding a spoon emerged from the kitchen. An enormous smile spread on his face as he recognized his customer. "Ah, Naruto! You brought company eh? Sit down sit down. Make yourselves comfortable!" the old man said happily. Naruto grinned widely, Sasuke half smirked half grinned while Sakura and Hinata smiled at the owner's kindness. It wasn't long before they took their seats; Naruto between Sakura and Sasuke while the first had Hinata at her right.

He remembered everything they ordered. Sasuke had bought a pork ramen while Sakura a salad one. Hinata had taken miso. He of course, had taken one of everything…

_End Flashback_

Naruto smiled at the memory. He didn't remember one bad moment he had with team 7 from the moment Hinata stepped in. Not that he had much of a bad time before, but Hinata really made the team look different. Before, he would nearly always argue with Sasuke or earn pumps from Sakura. Now, he also had someone who put a different note in the whole scenery. Hinata was so out of place yet so fitting. Her calm, yet nervous altogether presence was something out of the ordinary for his team. And he really liked the fact that she would always listen to him. Even if she agreed or disagreed with his words, she didn't pump him on the head every time he did something stupid. Yep, she was one of a kind.

It was then that he realized he was standing outside the door of the kunoichi's room. He opened his mouth to shout for her to wake up, but then closed it shut as he remembered that there where also other people in the building. Although it frustrated him, he had learned that messing with someone's sleep wasn't always a good thing.

He slowly opened the door and peered inside. The room was slightly lightened from the light coming through the windows, and he could easily make out every form this small surrounded by four walls area held. Slowly stepping in, he walked towards the beds…

Sakura's red backpack was lying against the foot of her bed. A smirk made it's way on his face as the idea of taking a glance of the insides flashed in his mind, but it was also followed by the image of a fuming Sakura.

Not good…

His eyes fell on the other bed of the room. There, lying peacefully was the ink-blue haired girl named Hinata. His lips plastered a smile even if he didn't notice it as he eyed her peaceful form. Slowly walking towards the bed, he kneeled down next to her, his vision never leaving her own closed eyes.

His eyes couldn't help but notice the tranquil smile her face bore, neither could he miss the strands of hair that covered parts of her pale face. It was so... He shook this thoughts away as the task at hand entered his mind, even if he really hoped he could complete them another time. He gently placed his palm on her shoulder and started shaking her lightly, in the gentlest way he could.

"Hinata! Hinata-chan!" he whispered loudly. The girl's eyes seemed to flinch for a second before she mumbled a name in her sleep. He barely made out the 'Na' and '-kun' parts of it. Maybe she was dreaming about Shikamaru? Nara-kun… since when did Hinata had something with Shikamaru? She could be seeing a nightmare, but the smile that graced her lips proved him wrong. His stomach was filled with dread for a second at the image of Hinata holding hands with Shikamaru, but he shoved these thoughts aside once more as he shook her again.

"Hinata! Wake up! We have to eat and leave the soonest possible!" he shouted silently once more. Her eyelids flinched once more, but this time, they slowly rose, and he met this lavender color that seemed so appealing on her... so... '_beau...'_

"Naruto-kun…?" she whispered as her hand moved towards his face. She gently cupped his cheek and started caressing it, as if not believing that the man in front of her was real. He blushed slightly at this express of affection, but he didn't let it get the better of him… yet her hand was so soft… so loving… like the touch of a mother… the touch of a loved one…

His thoughts were cut off as her eyes went wide and with a loud 'Eep!' she backed away from him and covered herself with the sheets. "N-N-Naruto-kun, w-w-what are you d-d-doing here?" she asked nervously yet her pose seemed to calm down a little. He took notice of a visible blush gracing her face as their eyes met...

"Umm, Sakura-chan told me to wake you up and such…" he said while he rubbed the back of his head. The girl sighed and nodded, seeming fully relaxed now as she eased her pose, leaving the tight grasp she had on the sheets that covered her body, yet keeping them in place.

"A-Alright, I-I'll be down i-in a m-m-minute" she said or rather stuttered, indicating her never fading nervousness. He nodded with a wide grin. "Alright! See you downstairs!" he said and stood up, moving his legs to leave. But… call it fate, call it irony of luck; his foot was wrapped around the sheet of her bed. Well, god knows how it happened, but most of the sheet was already on the floor. Call Hinata a clumsy sleeper or something…

He stumbled forward as he fell on his knees, trying to support himself with his hands. He looked behind to see what had taken grasp of his foot, and blushed a bright red at the sight before him…

The sheets that covered Hinata were now gone, and he could clearly make out the lavender bra she wore. She was looking at the sheets in clear surprise, but soon the shock passed as her eyes met his, and an even more furious blush graced her face. He thanked god that he couldn't see the lower match of this bra… for he would have a hell of a nosebleed for sure

He knew Hinata had a nice body… but this…? (I won't get into detail… yet!)

"Wow…" he said and Hinata's blush seemed to deepen if that was even possible. His eyes went wide as he realized he said that out loud and forced his vision away from the beautiful sight, debating with his mind '_I'm not a pervert! "Hinata's hot!" NO! I'm not a pervert! "But she's hot... come on admit it!" Ok she's hot but I'm not a pervert! "Yep, but can't you take just a glance? I wish I had a camera..." oh shut up!' _and so on...

He quickly jumped to his feet as his eyes were locked on the door, fighting hard the urge to look back at the girl as the inner voice of his mind indicated. He quickly unwrapped his leg from the sheets

"Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry" he said quickly as he darted towards the door and closed it shut behind him.

Hinata sat there, dumbfounded for a few seconds. Her mind was going on overload. Naruto saw her… nearly naked… and he thought she was beautiful. He didn't say it, but that three simple letters of amazement and the look on his face told her everything words couldn't say, in any language. She felt herself ready to fall in the world of unconsciousness, yet she fought hard to keep herself awake. Not because she didn't want anyone to see her fainting or something, but…

Oh right! It was their first day of travel today! She had to get ready! She quickly got out of the bed and took the clothes she had neatly folded in a chair in front of her bed, momentarily forgetting the event that took place not more than a minute ago.

Even so, a cute pink blush still graced her pale cheeks…

XxxxX

"You can imagine what happened, right?" Sasuke asked, or rather stated, with a smirk as Sakura grinned back. She turned the small radio device off and folded it back in one of her pockets. "Yeah, I told you the plan was perfect!" she said, pride in every word as her eyes gleamed. Sasuke 'Hned'. "What if he had seen the radio you had left open in the room?" he asked with a victorious smirk.

Sakura grinned "You think Naruto is that observant?" she asked as if he had said the most ridiculous thing in the world and Sasuke's smirk was replaced with a grin at the hearing of her comeback. He shook his head and Sakura giggled. "Why did you do it anyway?" Sasuke asked once more in curiosity, yet his grin remained. Sakura stopped giggling and grinned evilly. "To embarrass the hell out of them" she said and started giggling again. Sasuke sighed and his grin was once more turned into his unique smirk, that one couldn't really tell if it was an actual smirk or grin. He didn't show it, but he himself had to fight back the urge to chuckle…

It was then that they spotted Naruto coming in the small restaurant, a slight blush on his face. They both smirked at each other. His expression, even the look in his eyes told them that everything he didn't put in words, and they both knew that he never would... unless forced that is... Sasuke's smirk seemed to widen even more as this thought crossed his mind...

Naruto immediately took notice of their smirking faces as he took his sit beside them. "What's up?" he asked curiously. Sakura giggled "Nothing" she replied playfully. Sasuke's smirk became less intense as he let his usual cold mask slip on. Naruto let it slide as he focused on the second thing in the world that could get his attention anywhere and anytime. Which is the first one? Neither he was sure. But second best is not bad ne? Oh, what was the word? Ah yes…

Ramen…

XxxxX

After a few minutes, Hinata herself came down and sat next to Sasuke and Sakura in the round table they occupied. She blushed slightly, remembering what happened as she saw Naruto having a bowl of Ramen right in front of his face, hiding it from plain view. She noticed that the blond had taken all the bowls of ramen, except of three, from which two of them where taken by Sasuke and Sakura, leaving a miso ramen bowl for her. She smiled. Naruto remembered…

Call it luck, but none noticed the slight blush on the blond's face as he seemed devoured in his own Ramen world. His thoughts where far from that though...

_' "She still looks hot..." she's cute but I'm not a pervert! "Come on, you know you want to..." shut up, I'm not a pervert damn it!'_ and so on as endless noodles kept sliding in his mouth...

XxxxX

A man dressed in a black robe with red clouds spread on it sat on a rooftop overlooking the small hotel. His eyes were locked on the window from where a small company of four teens was visible. His eyes darted between the blond, blue, onyx and pink haired heads. He smirked. Each one of them was so different from the other, yet they were best friends. But… who said opposites don't attract?

XxxxX

After they finished their breakfast, the time for the departure was growing close. So, without further ado, they all went to their rooms to prepare…

"You should thank the girls for buying clothes for us too teme!" Naruto said loudly earning a glare from Sasuke. They had to change into civilian clothes in order to hide their ninja identities. Naruto wore an orange t-shirt with matching black shorts and blue normal sandals.

Sasuke sported a blue-black t-shirt with a white undershirt beneath. He also wore a pair of dull gray shorts with matching gray shoes. Simple things for a simple teen…

They got out of their room, only to find the girls waiting outside their own, both smiling at them. Hinata wore a round blue hat and a lavender t-shirt with matching ink-blue shorts. A pair of white sandals graced her feet. Surprisingly, none of these clothes where baggy.

Sakura wore her usual pink trademark color, in the form of a t-shirt that is. They all wore t-shirts, for it was a hot day today. But, they couldn't name the land 'Fire Country' without reason, ne?

A pair of red trousers graced her feet with matching red sport shoes.

The girls kept smiling while Naruto grinned and Sasuke smirked. Both teens had similar thoughts, if only for once…

'_They look hot!' _though Naruto had a long... really long debate once more in order to make 'himself' shut up...

XxxxX

"Yosh! Let's go!" a blond teen shouted happily. But his voice was caught in his throat when he took a glance of Sakura's eyebrow twitching, even if it was for a split second. A small red light flashed in his mind...

Raising her fist, she frowned "Naruto, I swear you're a masochist…" she said dreadfully and the named teen gulped. Hinata giggled while Sasuke smirked at the all familiar sight. They stood right outside the hotel, backpacks prepared and ready for a new journey.

Unfortunately, they couldn't travel as ninjas, so they wouldn't draw attention. That way, Sunagakure was three days journey. If Naruto's memory served, today was the day where they would go 'missing', so traveling as ninjas would easily give them away, especially to the hunter nins. If they traveled normally, what difference would their tracks have from those of normal civilians?

XxxxX

A man who was known for his red bloodline gaze was eyeing the teens from a rooftop. His eyes then darted to the south, where was the last time he saw that… 'man'…

_Flashback_

Itachi and Kisame were wondering the town, but not quite aimlessly. Itachi's target was a certain blond teen… or his onyx haired friend. It was the same whatsoever.

They were now at the outskirts of town near a hilltop that towered above the trees of the forest. Itachi's trained eye immediately caught a figure standing at the top of it. He glanced at his partner and wasn't the least surprised that the swordsman had also seen him. Kisame threw him a knowing smirk and Itachi nodded. Another nod from Kisame and the swordsman was nowhere to be seen…

Itachi's eyes then fell on a small restaurant that also found itself in the outskirts of this small town. His eyes flashed surprise when, near the window, sat a group of four teens, one of them the blond boy he sought, another one his brother…

He turned to look towards the hilltop once more. The figure was gone. But the clash of swords could be heard in the far distance, deep inside the forest. He had a feeling that this wasn't good... and rushed towards the source of the sounds…

_End Flashback_

Itachi sighed. Glancing at the where the teens were supposed to be, he realized that they already where on the move. He shook his head as if to take the thoughts away and started the trailing…

XxxxX

"Kukukuku…" a dark haired man practically hissed in his dark chamber as he eyed the black dressed man in front of him. He already knew what the answer to the question he would make would be, and his mind couldn't help but quickly run through twenty and more ways of endless torture…

"Did you get him?" he finally asked, but to his surprise, the man didn't even flinch. Under his dark hood, the pale man could make out a smirk. "Not yet. But I brought a souvenir…" he said and his smirk seemed to widen. Extending his one hand, he made a hand seal with his other one as he whispered something. A puff of smoke and in his hand appeared…

The yellow snake-like eyes of the pale man widened in surprise, but a wide smirk took place right after the shock that occurred from the sight. He started chuckling evilly

"Very well. You may go with your life" the black haired man said as he licked his lips in anticipation "for now" he added with an evil smirk.

The man dressed in the black robe smirked again under the shadows as he started walking out of the room…

Samehada in hand…

XxxxX

The chirping of birds. The smell of the forest. The sounds of the summer. Yes, it was summer in the Country of Fire, and like all summers, it was hot. Thankfully, the trees provided enough shade so that they wouldn't boil under the merciless heat of the sun.

They were traveling in silence for more than ten minutes now, admiring the surrounding nature. The magical way the sunrays flew through the openings the leaves of the trees allowed above their heads, the cool summer breeze that rejuvenated them through the hot climate of the summer... everything

Hinata smiled as she spotted a deer to their left. The creature looked at her with what seemed like an empty look of an animal before it bowed its head to feast on the grassy ground behind the bushes. The lavender-eyed girl's smile didn't falter though. It was a nice day…

Sasuke also took notice of the deer, but he found the sight less amusing than the former heiress did. Strange… there were no deer in this part of the forest…

Naruto kept walking with his head held high, the breeze messing with the blond locks that fell on his face. But then his eye caught something painfully familiar…

Sakura kept walking silently as she thought of what was to be done. She and Hinata had put up a small genjutsu so that their appearance would change in order for people not to recognize them. But she suddenly felt an unfamiliar urge to look to her left. She saw a deer…

The indigo-haired girl also noticed the animal, who repeated the same gesture as before. Her footsteps came to halt. Not a moment passed before her teammates themselves stopped and looked at her. They all nodded to each other.

They were in a genjutsu…

They started walking again, all wearing a smile and looking around as if there was not a worry in the world. Sakura then secretly brought her hands in a seal "Kai" she whispered and she could feel the jutsu dissipating. But… terrified she was… when it immediately reformed…

'_This isn't good…'_ she thought as she nervously looked around. Who could make such a powerful genjutsu that even she wouldn't brake? Even Kurenai, who was known to be master in this art, couldn't keep a genjutsu against her for long...

Her mind locked on only one name and only one person who she knew that had so advanced genjutsu abilities that surpassed Kurenai's… and it wasn't good.

She noticed Sasuke looking around nervously himself. He too must have tried and failed. He looked back at his friends, but only Sakura seemed to understand the situation. She nodded and he returned the gesture. He raised his hand for the group to halt…

"What is it teme? Got tired?" Naruto asked with a grin. Sasuke would have shot back an insult in that same instant if he didn't know that the dobe was feigning it. Or he hoped so... anyways, he would get him back for that later.

He smirked as he closed his eyes…

He focused… and focused… he pumped chakra in his eyes, and he could feel them changing… he could feel the power flowing… he could feel it overwhelming him. He opened them again to complete the process…

"Sharingan!" he exclaimed as the three blade like pupils started swirling around the main one. The bright red color of his gaze seemed to examine every inch of the area, his enhanced eyesight not missing a single crack in the log of a tree, a single rock on the dirt of the road.

He could feel the genjutsu, it surrounded the whole area around them. His eyes focused as he realized that it was not a simple jutsu, but a perfectly set trap. No matter, no genjutsu was a match for the Sharingan…

He spotted the flaw. It was tiny, extremely tiny. But he saw it. He felt it. He smirked as his hands where brought in the release seal. Focusing all his will on that small crack, he whispered…

"Kai" and he felt it. The crack was widening. The genjutsu was falling apart. His wide smirk was all his teammates needed to realize that he had succeeded.

"Way to go teme!" Naruto exclaimed happily as he patted his brother on the shoulder. Sasuke took a glance of him, and his victorious smirk couldn't help but irritate Naruto a little. Why couldn't he praise him without having to endure this?

They all jumped as the sound of hands clapping came from the bushes to the left…

From there emerged one tall man in a black robe, crimson clouds spread around the fabric as a single red line went down from the front of the collar to the end of the clothe. His onyx hair where tied in a ponytail and his eyes were closed. He kept clapping until he was a few feet away from the teens. He opened them to reveal onyx eyes…

"Itachi…" Sasuke growled as his Sharingan eyes started spinning violently. Putting Itachi and Sasuke in the same room was like putting a bull in a glass store. Everyone prepared their muscles for the tiniest sign of threat...

Itachi seemed to smile under the high collar of his robe. "I see your memory still serves otouto (little brother)" he said calmly. Sasuke barely resisted the urge to grab his older brother's neck and choke him to death, his rage building up. Thankfully, a soft hand on his shoulder kept him back from starting what could possibly be a meaningless bloodshed. He angrily looked back and his red gaze met gleaming green eyes...

For a moment, only that moment, he felt as if he was lost in endless fields of green, as if the world around him had seized to exist, as if everything else didn't matter. And he knew…

It didn't.

He nearly lost his focus and his Sharingan nearly slipped from his grasp. Yet he managed to compose himself as he calmed down. Sakura shook her head. There was no meaning in killing Itachi, or even fighting him. But again, they all stood ready, just in case Itachi tried something.

Sasuke knew it was true. Even if he killed Itachi, what would be the reward? Would his family return? Would his mother come back and hug him, tell him she loved him and give him a kiss on the forehead? Would his cousins practice ranged combat as they did back then?

No

He smiled as these memories of the past rushed in his mind, even for a brief second. As his head turned to look back at his brother, a glance he threw at Sakura told her everything she needed to hear. It said everything that she wanted to hear at the moment.

It said 'Thank you'…

"What are you doing here, Itachi?" Sasuke asked, more calmly now. His three other friends remained silent, as if to honor this moment between the Uchiha brothers. Itachi's face became once more that emotionless cold mask that everyone knew all too well. Sasuke used to wear it all the time…

"I… need your help," he finally said as he closed his eyes. He counted…

1…2…3…

"WHAT?!" came a shout from the blond of the company. Itachi smirked. Right on the spot…

"You heard me, Jinchuuriki, Otouto, Hyuuga, Haruno, I need your help, if only for this time" he said seriously and Naruto immediately closed his mouth. He didn't like Itachi one bit, but something in his voice told him that the traitor really needed them.

Sasuke couldn't completely hide his surprise as his mouth slightly hanged agape as the words of his brother finally sunk in. "Why are you asking us, Itachi? And why should we help you?" he asked seriously as he let his own emotionless mask grace his face.

Itachi smirked "Believe it or not, our goals are slightly the same. You want to travel safely, don't you?" he asked, already knowing the answer. They all nodded. They knew all to well that they wouldn't hide it from Itachi. The Sharingan master was a living lie detector, even without the Byakugan.

"Why would an S-rank renegade need our help?" Sakura asked seriously, still not sure of the man's truthfulness. Itachi sighed, "There are things… that even I am not capable of pulling out. One of them, is to take back Samehada" he said seriously and all eyes went wide. It was then that they realized that the one man that always was by Itachi's side now was nowhere to be seen...

"Where's Kisame?" Naruto asked a little worriedly. Not in worry for the shark-face's life, but in fear that he might jump out of nowhere launching water jutsus at them. Itachi shook his head, surprisingly sadly.

Suddenly, he started walking down the road as if none of them was there. He walked and walked and walked until he was around ten meters away. He turned to glance back at the group "Are you coming?" he asked, a little annoyed. The company looked between each other and with a nod, followed the renegade…

XxxxX

_Flashback_

An enormous lake. Itachi knew all to well that this lake was another one of Kisame's water Jutsus, as the Water user used it in every fight of his in order to have a steady advantage over his opponent.

He arrived just in time to watch two swordsmen clashing their blades, Kisame blocking with Samehada an upper cut strike. The legendary sword was unsheathed from the bandages, letting the purple blades that looked like shark fangs gleam in the moonlight. The other man was holding a rather strange weapon... The blade was the size of Kisame's, long and strong as it seemed. It was black with a blood red outline, and Itachi was able to make out something encrypted on the blade. He focused chakra in his eyes…

"Sharingan…" he whispered as the bloodline enhanced his eyesight. He barely held back a gasp…

The sword was decorated everywhere with runes and words in a language he couldn't understand one bit. The bottom of the hilt of the blade had a skull on it while the outline of the sword seemed to gleam with hungering power. He then looked at the wielder…

The man seemed to wear heavy plate armor, yet his movements where way too fast. The armor was gray and black, red outlines everywhere. His knee guards had two skulls; one on each knee while a long purple cape hid his back. His shoulder armor hid most of his neck while his long white hair seemed to dance along with his movements in the pale light of the moon. His eyes where blue… sky blue… yet an evil smirk graced his lips. It just looked so wrong on this face...

Who was this guy?

Kisame blocked another strike from the hostile sword and answered with a swiping strike to the waist. The armored man easily blocked with his own blade as he quickly extended his free hand, his other one holding the sword that parried Samehada with amazing strength.

He made a single hand seal and whispered something that Itachi couldn't hear. Neither did he recognize the seal. He pointed Kisame with his palm and a red glow started to shine in front of it before it knocked the Mist swordsman back with a loud blast of fire. All this in a matter of two-three seconds…

Kisame slowly brought himself to his feet as he prepared his blade to defend. "Who the hell are you?" he asked frustrated, and the Uchiha could make out tiredness in his voice. His eyes went wide. Never before had he seen Kisame growing tired in a fight…

The white haired man chuckled as he slowly approached his opponent; his blade in one hand while the other took strands of white hair away from his face. "I" he said as he knocked Samehada away with a strike of his blade and kicked Kisame straight in the stomach. He neared the fallen ninja and raised him to eye level with one hand, the other still gripping the deadly weapon.

"Am your worst nightmare," he said with an evil smirk that could make Orochimaru jealous. His black blade pierced through the blue skinned nin, and Kisame could feel all his strength fading away, all his powers leaving him, all his life being sucked out. He didn't have enough strength to even scream, as the blade seemed to drain his very life force...

Itachi could feel it. Kisame never stood a chance in this sword fight from the very beginning.

The earth started to suck the water of Kisame's jutsu back inside her. As the liquid disappeared, the man threw Kisame's limp body to the side, caring no more for the dead nin. Instead, his eyes searched the clearing for the purple sword. And they found it.

It was stuck in a rock, as it seemed. He sighed, a little bored. Slowly walking towards it, he extended his hand and grabbed it from the hilt. Itachi smirked from the shadows at the sight. No other man than Kisame could wield this blade...

But to his surprise, and horror, the man drew the blade out of the rock with little effort. The armored swordsman smirked as he sheathed his own blade to his side. Making a hand seal and holding tight on the legendary sword, he whispered something and Samehada had disappeared in a cloud of smoke, leaving no trace behind. With another smirk and a glance at the full moon, the man disappeared in a veil of shadows…

When Itachi could no more feel his presence, he stepped out of his hiding place and walked towards his former partner's limp body. He eyed Kisame up and down and sighed. "I'm sorry…" he said almost apologetically. He took a scroll out of his robe and opened it to the ground, exposing the unmarked paper.

Making a few hand seals "Chouin Shuhou: Fukyuu Suimin (Sealing Technique: Eternal Sleep)" he whispered and Kisame's body seemed to be drown in the scroll, slowly, as if it dissipated inside it. When the whole body was in it, a circle appeared in the middle with several Japanese ideograms spread around it, each telling a small tale of the sealed man's life.

Itachi slammed his palm in the middle of the circle and when he pulled it back, one single ideogram symbolized everything he could say about Kisame.

'Friend'

_End Flashback_

"So, Itachi, you want our help to avenge Kisame?" Sasuke asked, or rather stated, a little amused to help the one HE wanted to avenge to avenge someone else. Nevertheless, Itachi nodded. "Not only to avenge him, but also to take his blade back. Samehada was never meant for the hands of those not chosen." He said calmly.

Itachi didn't show it, but he felt alone without Kisame. The fish man had turned out to be his only friend in that organization, even if Itachi was always in command. They weren't that close, but Kisame was always the only one he could nearly trust in there. He truly felt sorry that he lost his life in such a way.

"Itachi-san, how do you know that they haven't destroyed Samehada?" Sakura asked curiously. Itachi threw a glance at her and then closed his eyes.

"Samehada can't be destroyed" he simply stated. Naruto raised an eyebrow "How's that?" he asked, maybe mockingly. Itachi eyed him for a second

"Amaterasu can't destroy it" he stated once more and all teens had their eyes wide in surprise. Amaterasu was a pitch-black flame straight from hell, capable of devouring fire itself. But Samehada resisting it…

"Samehada is a sword that devours chakra. Amaterasu is a technique, which uses chakra. That means that this sword is the only thing that can resist it." The older Uchiha explained and all teens nodded in understanding.

"Itachi, why is it that important to get the sword back?" Sasuke asked in mistrust. Itachi sighed again. They just couldn't get it…

"This sword is not to fall in the wrong hands. You knew how strong Kisame was with it. Imagine someone stronger than Kisame wielding it," he simply stated, eyes falling back on the road. All the teens gulped. Truly, Kisame was a menace. But for someone to defeat him that easily as Itachi described…

XxxxX

An hour passed as they walked in silence. But it was then that Naruto's stomach growled, meaning only one thing…

"Lunch time!" he exclaimed happily, quickly running to the side of the road. His friends followed him suit with Itachi being a little more hesitant…

XxxxX

After another thirty minutes, with a lit fire and cooked food by Hinata in their hands, they were all sitting in a circle around the small campfire.

"Sasuke" Itachi spoke up as he looked at his cup of soup. Sasuke gulped down the food he had stuffed in his mouth and glanced at his brother before looking down at the ground himself "What?" he asked solidly.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked out of the blue. Sasuke raised an eyebrow "What do you mean?" he asked a little confused. His older brother sighed. "I have killed our family, betrayed Konoha, and now you all are here helping me. I expected you to attack me right on sight or ambush me on the road. So, why are you doing this? Why are you helping me?" Itachi asked as he eyed all the teens. They all looked confused for a moment, as if he was talking nonsense.

"Though I hate to admit it…" Sasuke said as he looked sadly at his own share of the food.

He suddenly turned and looked at Itachi with a wide smirk "You are my brother" he said and pocked Itachi on the forehead with his middle fingers, something his older brother used to do when they were younger.

Itachi smirked as he looked at his brother. He had really grown up. "So… you don't want to choke me to death?" he asked jokingly. Sasuke smirked again "Not yet" he said darkly, his face frowning as his expression grew serious.

Both brothers then erupted in a loud laughter, their voices traveling through the forest with the help of the wind...

The other three just watched the two brothers reuniting. They knew Sasuke still didn't like his brother, but like all of them, he was trying to make a new start. That was the purpose of their journey in the first place ne?

When the laughing seized, Sasuke once more looked down at his bowl of soup. "Itachi… why?" he asked out of the blue as his brother gulped down the food he had in his mouth. Itachi knew all to well what Sasuke was talking about.

"I… had to…" he said, almost apologetically. Sasuke eyed him "Nine years ago you told me that you wanted to test your metal, to test your strength. Now… you had to?" he asked, irritation clear in his voice. His three friends prepared in case he would suddenly jump and they would find Itachi with a blade piercing his heart...

"Sasuke… you must understand that I have a reason for what I've done" he said apologetically once more. Sasuke eyed his brother with a look of pity. "A reason? What reason is good enough to slaughter your family? To kill Okaa-san? What had she done to you?!" he shouted angrily, but Itachi didn't flinch, as if he expected it. He sadly looked at his brother

"She was not meant to… die…" he said sadly. Hinata, who was well trained in reading body language, could make out signs that Itachi held back most of his sadness. This man was amazing… if Sasuke managed to be a cold ice cube at times, Itachi was an iceberg!

"What do you mean?" he asked, confusion, sadness, and anger in every word. Itachi sighed

"Sasuke… our clan was corrupt. They where ready to begin a coup d'etat against the Hyuuga clan in order to prevail as the strongest clan in Konoha. They would start a civil war and Konoha would fall apart. The only ones who weren't corrupt in the clan, where you, because you where too young, and our mother." Itachi said and all teens eyed him with a look of disbelief.

"You're lying… then why did you kill our cousins? Most where my age! They didn't know either!" he snapped angrily. Itachi sighed

"If I did let them live, the clan would be rebuilt with the ideals of their fathers. This means that it was only a matter of time before the coup would be put back in action." Itachi explained calmly this time. Sasuke sat there dumbfounded by the new revelations.

So… his brother wasn't a bloodthirsty traitor who killed his family for fun… he did because it was his duty…

"The Hokage gave me permission to kill them. All of them. Even my best friend…" he said once more, apology painting his last words.

True… that was the way he had obtained the Mangekyou. Without it, he would never wipe out the whole clan that easily...

But still… why her?

"Then why her… Itachi, why her?" Sasuke asked in disbelief. If she wasn't included in the whole thing… then why?

Itachi sighed. "Our mother… loved our father too much. Way too much. She was a sacrifice I didn't want to make, but I had no choice. Sometimes, people just love the wrong person" he said as he eyed all the teens, seeming to see or sense something they didn't notice. Sasuke calmed himself down. What Itachi said was true. Even if he hated to admit it, the fate of the village came before the life of just one person. He sighed

"I understand," he finally said and his eyes had that look of sadness on them.

"No you don't. You don't know how it is to kill people you love. People you care about. And I wish you never will" Itachi said with an apologetic look of his own. Both brothers sighed while the three spectators looked between each other. Sasuke was handling the thing pretty well, imagining that three years ago he would attack Itachi before the said man could even form a word.

"Why did you hide it, all this time?" Sasuke asked again, throwing a curious look at his older brother. Itachi eyed Sasuke and then glanced at Naruto "I was a spy. The slaughter of our clan opened me other doors. Not good, but necessary ones. I was gathering intelligence on Akatsuki on behalf on the third Hokage. After the destruction of the organization, me and Kisame where nothing but rogues." Itachi said and his look turned a little sad once more at the memory of the loss of yet another friend. "But you could always return and tell everyone what really happened" Naruto pointed out, speaking for the first time. The others, along with Sasuke nodded at him and looked back at the tall man.

"No. This secret was supposed to stay hidden forever. At least it should. If they knew the truth about the Uchiha clan, Sasuke would be treated differently, rather than being the 'survivor' of the once great clan. And I don't think I myself would just roam the streets without a worry in the world after I had massacred a whole clan. But now that you are away, otouto, there is no reason for them not to know." He said and took another bite from his soup.

"But, why would they hate Sasuke? He hasn't done anything" Naruto spoke up once more. Itachi eyed him "Why do they hate you? For something you haven't done. What's the difference with Sasuke?" he said and looked sadly at his brother. Sasuke nodded. Naruto looked down in sadness, remembering the reason he left his home. Why did things had to come like this?

Hinata noticed the sad look on Naruto's usually cheerful face. But what could she do to cheer him up? What could she do to make him feel better? What was to be done? It clicked…

She placed her hand on his and smiled gently when he looked at her "Don't worry Naruto-kun, they don't know what they're losing" she said and this immediately brought a smile on the teen's face. At least Hinata was there to help. Why didn't he notice this before? Why didn't he notice this kindness all this time ago? She was always there, yet he was too blind to pay attention in anything else than training, when what he truly needed was a friend, someone who understood him. He was lost for a moment, in this wonderful pools of pale lavender color, in these pools that anyone else could see as empty, yet there was some emotion in them…

Yeah… who would be better than her?

XxxxX

They finished their launch and in due minutes, they were off in the road once more, walking and talking between them. Itachi talked about funny situations with Kisame and battles the cunning ninja had given. Naruto as always talked about ramen and Sakura, for the sake of the moment, didn't make him shut up but let him know when she couldn't take any more of his ranting with a nice growl and a dominating glare at him. Naruto pitied the man who would have to spend the rest of his life with her... he chuckled as a name flashed in his mind...

The pink haired kunoichi talked about medical things that everyone seemed interested in except from Naruto, who, not surprisingly, was just looking around boringly. Sakura had to remind him all the time to pay attention, pointing out that medical knowledge would help in critical situations and in the end, they had Hinata to keep his attention on the subject, who surprisingly was more successful than Sakura as it turned out...

But even Naruto wasn't sure. Did he pay attention because what she said was interesting or because he wanted to hear that adorable voice of hers…

He shook these thoughts away as he felt a strange sensation in his stomach. What was going on?

XxxxX

The evening was nearing and the group had yet to find a town or village.

"There is a village at the way to Sunagakure, but it is at least five more hours of walk" Sasuke pointed out as he looked at the map he had in his hands. The others nodded except of Naruto who put on a pouting face "That long? Damn…" he said to himself. Traveling like this was boring…

"Itachi-san" Hinata spoke up in her always soft voice and Itachi turned to boringly look at her "Yes, Hinata-san?" he asked. The girl looked unsure of what she was up to say next "T-Taking the sword back wasn't the only reason you came to look for us, was it?" she asked with nearly not a stutter. Amazing things can happen in only a few hours…

While Hinata was trying to explain medical thingies to Naruto before, he found it slightly annoying that she stuttered in nearly every word, making it take much longer. It wasn't that she was annoying, but the stuff she talked about was!

So, he turned the tide. He suggested helping her to come over this stuttering habit of hers and she gently complied, not that he expected her to deny or something…

For the next hours, he would make her repeat phrases again and again until she didn't stutter. The others kept talking between them while the pair worked on the girl's problem. Hinata was sure a fast learner, as for in only a few hours, her stutter was nearly gone, but Naruto didn't really want all of it to vanish. For some reason, it was so appealing on her…

With this and that, Hinata could finally speak normally, mostly at least. Surprised he was, that she overcame this tiny nervous problem in only a few hours of constant 'training' while she had it for so many years. Yep, this girl was surely strong.

And more than that, he found her voice even more adorable now that the stutter wasn't there to mess with it. How could she be like this… so… captivating…

Nevertheless, back to the present, Itachi smiled at the Hyuuga girl and nodded. The three other teens eyed him suspiciously.

"I came for Orochimaru" he simply stated and looked back down the road as they kept walking. The teens suddenly stopped as they looked at him in disbelief.

"Wait what?! You came for snake-teme? What does he have to do with us?" Naruto asked incredulously. Itachi sighed "He wants my brother. Or you, I'm not completely sure. You four weren't in the first plan, but when I found your names at that hotel and with Kisame's death, everything changed. And I know this fool has also something to do with that swordsman that killed Kisame, and I won't let it slide. At first, I wanted to just kill him for the bounty on his head, but now I have a better reason" he said and kept walking with his head held high. The teens nodded, satisfied with his reasoning as they followed the renegade…

Little did they know, that a tall man dressed in a black robe was watching the situation unfold. His evil smirk was visible under the shadows of his hood. He resisted the urge to lick his lips in anticipation as he thought of endless ways to make these fools suffer to no end. He would have his little fun before he went back to Orochimaru… oh yes, his own little fun…

XxxxX

A cup of streaming tea and a man dressed in a white robe stroking his short white-golden beard in deep thought. That's the image given out as he tried to heed on the wooden walls of his small room, as if waiting an answer for his unasked question. He looked down at the small table in front of him with the cup of tea on it. He sat down cross-legged and took the cup in his hands. Examining the stream, he took one long sip of it. Putting it back down, he let out a sigh of frustration...

A pale light covered the area in front of him for a second, and when it was over, a really short man, dressed in a white robe himself, stood there, his own face mostly hidden by the hood.

"Good evening…" he said with a bow in a voice that seemed to match his size. But before he could continue, the raise of the taller man's hand was enough to silence him "Thank you, I already know what is going on" he said and a smile graced his bearded face. The short little man sighed

"Then you know of the situation we are in right? He has killed someone, that means that things are becoming more complicated." He said worriedly with a serious look on his half hidden face. The other man nodded as his own expression grew serious

"Indeed, but can it become even more complicated than it already is, my friend?" he said as he let out another sigh of frustration.

"I can't believe we've come to this…" the small man said. The older and taller one nodded "Yes… things were easier the old times eh?" he said with a smile, making his visitor grin in return. "Yes, those times where better. But now, what are we going to do with him?" he asked again seriously and curiously at the same time. The older man's expression grew serious once more. "Don't you think they can handle him?" he asked curiously himself. The short man shrugged "I don't know. Dreadnoughts are not to be underestimated," he said with a little bit of fear in his words.

The older man eyed his visitor up and down "Very well. Send someone to take care of this." He commanded and the short man bowed. With another flash of light around him, he was gone, no sign of his existence left behind. The bearded man sighed even once more.

'_Let us hope that they will make it in time…'_ he thought as he took another sip from his tea…

XxxxX

Nightfall was nearly here. Itachi suggested that they set up camp and quickly, before their vision would be reduced to zero. If memory served, there would be no moon today, and that could easily be both a blessing and a curse. They entered the woods looking for a clearing to set up camp. After a few minutes of searching with Hinata's Byakugan, they finally did find a suitable place to sleep for the night. Setting their backpacks around, Itachi not having one, they made preparations for a campfire and dinner…

XxxxX

Danzo eyed the Hokage suspiciously as she finished explaining the situation. They had four shinobi's MIA and she wanted a search party to look for them the soonest possible. The only ones present in her office right now, was he and two hunter nins, along with the Hokage.

"I want you two to find these people," she said as she pointed at four photos she had spread on her desk, each one a picture of each missing ninja. "No violence is to be used unless necessary. They are only missing in action, not renegades, so don't do anything stupid..." she said as she glared at them. They didn't flinch, but she knew all to well that at least a shiver had made its way down their spine. She smirked inwardly "You've got two days before you abort the search. Am I understood?" she asked and the two masked hunters nodded.

"I told you to kill that brat as long as you had the chance. Now we don't know in whose hands he will fall in" Danzo stated bluntly and the Hokage glared at him "That's none of your business, Danzo. You may leave, all of you." She ordered. The hunters bowed and puffed away while the old man walked out of the office with a look of annoyance.

Outside the room, the two hunters appeared once more, bowing in front of Danzo. The root commander's expression was emotionless though "Do we have his position?" he asked bluntly. One of the hunters nodded "Yes, Danzo-sama, he, the Uchiha, a Haruno and the Hyuuga heiress are heading to Sunagakure no sato disguised as civilians." He said clearly and seriously. The old man smirked. He wasn't a master spy for nothing. He had his own network keeping an eye on the boy…

"The Hyuuga heiress you say?" he said as he rubbed his chin, a satisfied grin on his face. "Very well. You may go. I want you to kill the boy and anyone interfering. Capture the heiress, at all costs. Am I understood?" he said and his expression now turned serious. The hunters nodded and bowed even deeper "Hai" they said in unison and puffed away. Danzo's satisfied grin returned once more

"I've got a certain clan leader to meet…" he said to himself and chuckled as he walked down the hallway…

XxxxX

Hiashi was furious. His daughter was MIA? Who knew where she was now? What if the Byakugan fell in the wrong hands? What if it fell in the hands of their enemies? The land of lighting wasn't an enemy, yet, but Konoha's relationship with it wasn't that good, and Hiashi knew all too well how much they longed the Hyuuga bloodline.

A knock on the door. "Come in" he ordered and the door of his office slid open, revealing no other that…

Hiashi let out a sigh "Danzo-sama, what is it?" he asked, or rather stated coldly. He didn't miss the grin that graced the old man's face. "I've got some rather intriguing information for you, Hiashi-sama" he said, and that immediately caught the Hyuuga's attention…

XxxxX

After Danzo had left, Hiashi was barely resisting the urge to break his office into shambles. The terrified servants that stood at the sides of the room where standing still as ice, not wanting to irritate the head of the clan further.

His daughter had betrayed them! She had fled off with that demon brat! Drastic measures had to be taken. That damn traitor he called daughter had to be brought back. Renegades where hunt down by their village. Hyuuga renegades where hunt down by the whole clan, and he would bring the world upside down to get her. He couldn't allow the Byakugan to stay outside Konoha…

After a few minutes, he had assembled the ten best ninjas his clan had to offer.

"Hiashi-sama, you called?" one of them said as he bowed. The others followed his gesture. Hiashi nodded. "Yes. I have information that my daughter has fled the village and is currently heading to Sunagakure, disguised as a civilian." He said as he paced up and down. The elite where stretching their ears, knowing that making mistakes during a mission given from the clan head would be very easily punished by death...

"She has fled with the demon brat, the Uchiha and a Haruno. I want her back here at all costs. You may kill the blond nuisance in any way you please, as well as anyone else who might interfere" he ordered, a frown on his usually cold face.

"Hiashi-sama, what is to be done with Hinata once we get her back?" one of the ninjas asked blankly. Hiashi brought his hand to his chin as he thought for a moment

"She will move to the branch family and attend to maid duties, as well as being guarded so we can make sure she won't flee again. But…" he said as he looked at the ceiling "I doubt she will with the cursed seal on her" he said with a smirk. The ninjas shivered at the thought. Hiashi eyed them with a stoic face "Dismissed" he said and they all disappeared in a blur of motion. He sighed as he sat back on his office's chair.

Oh, that girl was so in deep shit. He wouldn't allow her to see outside the walls of this compound for the rest of her life for what she has done. Her Byakugan would be sealed and he would rest easily knowing that the complete failure he called daughter would at last stop being a nuisance. Yeah… life was good.

XxxxX

The fire was lightened up and the boys had managed to hunt down a rabbit or two for dinner. Hinata, as always, volunteered to cook and everyone wouldn't agree more. Even Itachi smiled at her when she suggested this. The soup they had for lunch was way too good…

"Well, well, well… what do we have here?" Said a cold, quiet voice mockingly, sarcastically even. Everyone jumped in a defensive stance at the sound, not recognizing it. Looking around, there was nothing but the dark trees surrounding them and the gentle night breeze. Naruto gritted his teeth. When had he experienced this again?

"Who are you?" Itachi demanded. The voice erupted in a quiet evil chuckle, making the teens shiver. Itachi though, found this voice painfully familiar…

"Maybe I'll tell you, maybe not." He said as he kept chuckling. Yes, they could now make out that the voice was male. "Come out here and face us you coward!" Naruto shouted as he kept looking around, frustrated that their opponent was hiding like this. When his eyes darted at his front again, he nearly gasped and fell backwards when mere inches away from him stood a tall man wrapped in a big black cloak, a shining black-red plate armor protecting him. He quickly jumped backwards and took out two kunais he had hid in his outfit, preparing for battle. His friends mimicked his movement as they too prepared their weapons.

The man chuckled "You really hope of doing something with these toys?" he asked mockingly, yet softly altogether. His voice was quite quiet for such a big man. Well, the armor must surely be adding quite a few inches in his size as well…

Naruto glared at him "Hell yeah!" he said and launched his weapons at the man, who just stood there, waiting.

The daggers clashed on the armor and where immediately thrown away, as if they had hit an impenetrable barrier which happened to be the man's armor. He kept chuckling as he brought his hands to his hood. He slid it down…

And long white hair glimmered in the light of the campfire. His face was emotionless and his light blue eyes glanced between the teens and Itachi. His vision locked on the other man when he recognized the robe "Oh, another one eh? Your friend was quite entertaining…" he said as he looked dreamily to the surrounding trees, as if reliving a happy memory. His smile though quickly turned in an evil smirk, seeming so wrong in his young face. He didn't look much older than Itachi...

"Let's see if you are any good…" he said as his hand grabbed the hilt of his sword. Slowly, he unsheathed the mighty blade and pointed it towards the renegade. The white haired man licked his lips…

His weapon's outline started glowing strangely with a grim purple light. He brought his blade to his side…

Itachi closed his eyes… and when he opened them, he whispered one word…

"Sharingan" and it was off…

With a katana of his own, Itachi's blade clashed with the much bigger sword. As a former ANBU, he was quite the blade handler, aside from his genjutsu specialty. The man's smirk didn't leave his face for a second though as he parried the attack that proved to be in vein.

The battle raged as the two men clashed their swords, strike after strike, swipe after swipe, parry after parry, they tirelessly attacked again and again. The four teens could do nothing to help Itachi, as the two where only a blur of motion in their eyes. Sasuke activated his Sharingan while Hinata her Byakugan, and they where amazed that even then, they would hardly keep up to the speed the fight raged on.

Itachi knew it wasn't good. Something was amiss with the hostile blade. He gradually felt his power diminishing, faster than it should. He jumped away from his opponent to catch his breath…

"Done already?" the man asked quietly and curiously, a snicker escaping him. "I expected something more…" he said a little disappointed. Itachi smirked his own unique smirk that for some odd reason seemed to only grace the two remaining Uchiha's only.

He flew through hand seals "Katon: Gokakyou no Jutsu! (Fire Element: Grand Fireball Technique)" he exclaimed and an enormous fireball was shot towards his opponent. The man brought his sword up, and with an upper cut strike cut the ball of flames in half. All eyes went wide as this man destroyed so easily the trademark jutsu of the Uchiha clan... Itachi flew through hand seals again

"Katon: Doragon Hakaisha no Jutsu! (Fire Element: Dragon Destroyer Technique)" Itachi loudly exclaimed and this time, an enormous dragon flied out of his mouth and with a loud howl that could make anyone run for his money, charged towards the armored swordsman. The man's smirk didn't tell to leave his face anytime soon as he simply extended his free hand. With a puff of smoke…

Samehada appeared. He raised the sword to defend against the incoming menace and when the dragon hit the blade, the destructive weapon seemed to suck the dragon in it...

"Katon: Fenikkusu Kaki! (Fire Element: Phoenix Fire)" a voice said from behind the swordsman and the said man barely had time to parry the incoming small fireballs with his other sword.

"Katon: Doragon Kaki! (Fire Element: Dragon Fire)" Itachi yelled and a large wave of fire was shot in a cone in front him. The attacks from both sides overwhelmed the man who was caught in the middle, the fires dancing around him as they seemed to consume him. After a few seconds, the attacks stopped and all that was left was a cloud of smoke... But when it dissipated…

The man was chuckling, quietly; he was chuckling as he held both blades in his hands. He eyed both brothers with that evil smirk gracing his lips

"So, this is the power of the Uchiha? Good, but not good enough" he said as he disappeared from sight, reappearing right in front of Itachi. But the experienced rogue was ready, and he quickly avoided a swiping attack from Samehada that could have easily severed his head. He kept dodging and dodging, thankfully being a master in this as he was also a genjutsu user. Ninjas with such fighting style had to be good in dodging, so that they wouldn't get killed easily if their jutsus failed.

As his brother fought, Sasuke drew his own blade from his side. Holding tight on it, lighting started to crackle

"Chidori Current" he stated and the blade was immediately covered in electricity, sparkling lighting that seemed to sing it's own magical melody, the melody of a thousand birds. His whole body started to glow as the power of lighting started to crackle throughout him. His eyes flashed the blood red Sharingan gaze of his bloodline, and he charged in…

Naruto contemplated on what to do. He could either charge in and get killed or sit in the back and wait for his friends to get killed! Oh, what should he do? He also noticed Hinata having her own bloodline at full force, if only to observe the battle that raged…

"Come on! I know you can do better!" the man said mockingly as Itachi dodged another upper cut strike from the black blade. It was then that the deadly duelist heard the cracking of lighting coming from behind him…

Turning around with amazing speed, his swiping strike with Samehada barely missed Sasuke as he ducked to avoid the blade. The next swiping hit from the black blade though was roughly parried by Sasuke's Chidori sword. But, little did the man know, that the few seconds that Sasuke had distracted him where all Itachi needed…

"Katon: Gokakyou no jutsu!" Itachi exclaimed and this time, the fireball completely overwhelmed the swordsman as Sasuke jumped away to avoid the heat. In a matter of a few seconds, the fire had dissipated, only to leave…

All eyes went wide at the sight, the girls holding back a gasp. The man was completely unharmed, his one hand having formed a hand seal, which was probably, and the reason that a bright green shield with runes spread on it was surrounding him... a shield emitting evil...

"Makaiton: Onitate… (Hell Release: Demon Shield)" the man said quietly and turned to them with a wide smirk, unsheathing Samehada once more. When the hell did he manage to sheath it anyway?

It was then that the other three decided that it was their turn to do something.

Sakura stepped in, determination flashing in her emerald eyes "Bring it on, creepy bastard!" she taunted but the man just chuckled at her "What do we have here? A cute girl?" he asked himself quietly. Sakura already had a vein twitching on her forehead. "What's up with your forehead?" the man asked curiously.

Oh that was it. Sakura was now enraged. Gathering all her might, she launched a punch at him and with a loud battle cry, her punch collided with the dark blade. The man had a look of utter shock at the girl's strength as she even managed to push him back slightly, but it was quickly replaced with that usual smirk of his. "Oh, tough guy eh?" he asked mockingly and Sakura didn't know how the hell she held herself. With a mighty punch on the ground, the whole land erupted in flying boulders and rocks. The swordsman only sliced through the annoying chunks of rock that where thrust towards him, an annoyed yet evil smirk gracing his face.

But it was then that he felt a presence behind him. He barely turned around when Naruto crashed a Rasengan right at his back. The man let out a cry of pain as he was shot forward, Sakura having already leapt away. He rose to his feet and gripped the blades in his hands. Suddenly, he shot his head back and laughed loudly, as if he had heard the best joke in the world...

"Oh, that tickled" he said as he composed himself. But when he looked in front of him, he met lavender eyes, angry lavender eyes…

"You are in the range of my divination" the girl exclaimed as she took a very familiar for Naruto stance.

"Hakke Hyakunijuuhachishou!" she exclaimed and her hands where a blur of motion as she attacked the man. To their horror, he only stood there, letting the girl attack him as she pleased. When she finished all 128 strikes, he flashed a smirk at the sight of her shocked face. With a strong punch in the gut, she was send flying towards her friends. Her attack was actually fun… it tickled pleasantly…

"Foolish girl, my armor is chakra proof. None of your pathetic chakra attacks can harm me" he said with a smirk. This fools really entertained him. Too bad he had to end this soon… he couldn't do this all night long now, could he?

He then saw all of them dissipating as if they where suddenly vanishing from existence. But the swordsman was no fool. His smirk quickly replaced the look of surprise on his face as he reached behind his waist and in his cloak.

He pulled out a helmet. It had nose and cheek guards while the top and back of the head where left exposed, a single blue oval diamond gracing the helmet's forehead. It looked like a combination of a helmet and a crown.

Suddenly, the strange sensation that tickled in his mind disappeared as his enemies appeared in front of him again, all having looks of disbelief or shock on their faces. He chuckled evilly.

Naruto looked at the man in shock. "Itachi, what happened? He should be stunned!" he said, clearly surprised. Itachi couldn't hide his irritation that well either. "A genjutsu messes with ones mind, I having my own chakra interrupting the flow of his in the brain. This helmet must be chakra proof as well," he explained and the man nodded.

"True, at least you've got some brains. Maybe I'll keep them in a jar, just for a reminder" he said and chuckled again, while the two girls had a look of clear disgust on their faces. Naruto though smirked

"I guess you have your own in a jar, just to remember that you don't have a brain ne?" he said mockingly and the man, to his surprise, chuckled. "Good one, but not enough" he said as he turned behind him with a swiping strike of his dark blade. He barely missed…

Sasuke could feel his heart race like mad as he barely avoided a strike that could cut his head. He leapt away, knowing that now there was no chance of succeeding a stealth attack. "Damn it, it didn't work! What do we do now?" he asked, clearly irritated. They where five ninjas for god's sake and they wouldn't take on just a swordsman?

"You still think I could take him on my own?" Itachi asked the teens curiously. They all grinned apologetically at him, Hinata smiling. They turned to glare daggers at the swordsman.

Itachi hadn't used his full powers yet, but he knew that it would be extremely risky to try. But… what else could he do?

"Hey, pretty boy" he said and the man's gaze locked with his. The Sharingan eyes started changing…

"Mangekyuu Sharingan: Tsukuyomi!" Itachi exclaimed as his eyes turned in cartwheels. The man just stood there stunned for a second as his world turned red…

He was now tied on a cross with an emotionless Itachi in front of him. He looked around as if in shock.

"For the next seventy two hours, you will be endlessly tortured" Itachi said calmly, but horror filled him when the man shot his head back and laughed his heart out.

"Oh this is good! You really think your genjutsus can work on me?" he said and the world started changing once more, leaving Itachi standing there dumbfounded.

No one, had resisted Tsukuyomi that easily before… who the hell was this man?

"Now, enough with this games, I've got work to…" he never finished his sentence as he barely managed to dodge a hammer that aimed for his head. A hammer made out of pure light…

"Meimeiton: Hanma-Dangeki (Divine Release: Hammer-Strike)" a female voice said from behind the dark trees.

The man immediately lost any interest for the group of ninjas as he turned to face the newcomer. "Kukuku, what do we have here?" he said as he licked his lips once more. Out of the shadows stepped a tall, slim young woman dressed in a white robe similar to the one the old man they had met before in the forest wore. Her face was also hidden behind a hood, leaving only the lower part of it exposed

"You may leave this place now, Dreadnought" she practically commanded, but the man only chuckled in response. "I'm not finished here yet…" he said as he pointed the group behind him with his head. The woman actually smiled at him. "Then I guess I'll have to make you," she said and her hands flied in hand seals

"Raiton: Hekireki Higyou (Lighting element: Thunder Strike)" she exclaimed and a loud boom was heard from the skies as a thunder came down directly on the man, with such speed that even he couldn't dodge. He yelled in pain for a second before the lighting faded away...

Another series of hand seals "Doton: Chiwana no Jutsu (Earth element: Earth Trap Technique)" she exclaimed once more and the ground around the swordsman rose and caught him in a mound of rocks and debris, leaving only his head exposed.

He snickered at the woman "You really want to get killed, don't you?" he asked mockingly. The woman smiled again "I haven't come here to kill you" she simply stated and looked at the group behind the swordsman. "You, leave, now. I can't hold him for long" she said worriedly and it was only Itachi who nodded. The others looked at him incredulously

"But Itachi! What about…" Naruto tried to say but was cut off by Itachi's words "No time for this. Run!" he shouted, pretending fear. The others nodded, not completely understanding why Itachi would leave the fight like this. They rushed away towards their backpacks which where at the other side of the raging battle, picked them up and leapt away from the clearing, Itachi following suit…

They would hear the sound of earth braking and the strikes of thunder in the distance. They just hoped that this woman knew what she was doing…

XxxxX

They where leaping from tree to tree for around half an hour now. When they made sure that they weren't followed or anything, they finally set themselves on a new clearing, thankfully void of evil swordsmen.

They were now preparing for sleep, Itachi having volunteered to take the first run of guard duty.

Sasuke approached his brother as the others where lying on their futons, preparing to sleep after a tiring day. He would swear that he caught Naruto stealing glances of Hinata here and there. He smirked inwardly at this, but when he sat next to his brother, it was only then that Itachi realized his presence

"Itachi, why'd we leave like this? What about…" he was cut off by Itachi's smiling face. With a hand seal and a puff of smoke, Samehada appeared right in the renegades' hand. The man immediately took notice of his brother's incredulous look.

"When he was hit by the thunder and had his whole attention on the woman, like the rest of you, I managed to pick Samehada from the ground he had dropped it. Mission accomplished." He said and his smile never faltered. Sasuke also smiled, something people had nearly never seen him do.

"And what will you do now?" he asked his older brother. Itachi's smile faltered as a look of sadness took over. "Hide. I'm a rogue, remember?" he said as he sadly looked at his younger brother. Sasuke frowned. Itachi didn't deserve this. The man had dropped away his life, only to save these fools in Konoha. He deserved something better...

"Hey… why don't you come with us?" the onyx eyed teen suggested. Itachi eyed him for a second "Are you sure? You know what reputation I have and…" he was cut off as Sasuke raised his hand in motion for him to silence

"Itachi, all of us here are making a new start. That's why I'm also asking you. We are heading somewhere where nearly no one knows. We can and we will begin anew. Why don't you just join?" he asked as he smiled at his older brother. Smiling night for the Uchiha's eh?

Itachi smiled back and nodded. "Well, I think you still need someone to change your diapers anyway" he said jokingly and Sasuke smirked "Oh, I didn't know you can do that. I thought you murdered your nanny when you where two" he said with a laugh. Itachi grinned as his brother chuckled "No, it was a maid" he said seriously as his expression grew emotionless. Sasuke eyed him up and down in disbelief.

It didn't take long for his older brother to start laughing himself "Oh you fell for that one!" he said and Sasuke's smirk grew wider.

Somewhere behind them, three figures where sitting up in their sleeping bags, watching the two brothers talking to each other.

"Great, now I have two temes to work with" the blond said as he went back in his 'bed'. Sakura and Hinata giggled

"Goodnight girls" Naruto said one last time before he closed his eyes.

"Goodnight baka" Sakura said jokingly as she too got back in her sleeping bag, snuggling in it like a little child.

"Goodnight… Naruto-kun" Hinata said softly as she started drifting to sleep herself, letting out soft, quiet breaths.

In the darkness, for better or for worse, they didn't notice Naruto's smile as he looked at the dark figure that was the Hyuuga girl.

'_Yeah… goodnight Hinata-chan'_ he thought as he let himself fall in a dreamless sleep…

**A/N: Much SasuIta here. But I like it. Just so you know, Naruto, Hinata, Sakura and Sasuke are the main characters of this story, NaruHina being the main pairing with side SasuSaku. There are no pairing yet, as I am trying to focus more on Adventure for now. Don't worry, when romance will come, you know it will be good. For I am the author!**

**About the Uchiha massacre, I changed the original reason a little. It would take too long to describe the real thing . Also, I hope Sasuke isn't so OOC already. For I soon will make him xD. As for Hinata's stutter, I have a good damn reason for taking care of it. You'll see in the next chapter xD. I'm trying to make Naruto look like himself while also having a more mature side of him. Am I achieving anything? heh**

**As for the techniques in the battle scenes, I don't have a particular page or story that tells me what techniques exist in Naruto, so expect to see some self-inspired ones here. The Meimeiton and Makaiton techniques are completely original from me.**

**In other news, World Of Warcraft keeps me occupied... yeah online games are draining xD But as you can see, I made it worth you guys a while. **

**I hope that one day I'll write a legendary fic. Heck, writing is the only thing I enjoy doing, and also has the potential to be a profession. Well, I also like doing other things, but writing is the only 'professional' thing that I like xD Anyway, till next time...**

**REVIEW please, your words keep me going, your satisfaction is my strength.**


	4. Chapter 4: Braking The Ice

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto... but I hope that one day, Hinata will xD

**A/N: Once more, a big thank you to my Beta, Bumblemark. His really helpful with this fic, he points out some of my mistakes that I had taken for granted. Alright, there is plenty of NaruHina here, just read and you'll get my point. Oh, I understand that you might have some questions about some things here, so I'll explain on bottom A/N**

**Have fun and enjoy :)**

_**Towards The Heaven**_

_**Chapter4: The Travel**_

**Day 2: Breaking The Ice**

Ahh, the beautiful smell of lavenders in the morning, combined with a tint of lilac, giving you the impression that you are in a garden full of flowers, their intoxicating aroma filling your being as you inhale deeply, wanting to cherish the rare sensation of tranquility the beauty of nature offers.

But… there were no lavenders the last time he checked the clearing they fell asleep in…

He tried to move his arm, wanting to rub the sleepiness off his eyes, thinking that what he smelled was nothing but a weird aftermath of his sleep. But alas, his arm didn't obey, as if something, or in this case, someone, forced it to stay in place.

Even if sleepy, he slowly opened his eyes to inspect. He felt something warm, yet soft altogether pressed at his side. He could make out ink-blue hair at the crook of his neck…

All thoughts of sleepiness flew away as his mind recognized to whom this head must belong to, and it rested on him nonetheless! He felt panicked as he eyed the young girl that had somehow managed to hug him by the side while still being half covered in her sleeping bag, he himself having only his torso exposed, but that didn't seem to annoy the sleeping beauty one bit

'_Beauty…'_ he thought to himself as he calmed down, realizing that she wouldn't let go of him any time soon, as one of her hands was wrapped tightly on his own, and the other hugging him by the torso. He sat up, with some effort that is, on his sleeping bag, his back lying on the tree behind him, having only his legs covered now, but to his surprise, she didn't back away. Instead, she kept hold of his arm and torso as she sat up herself in her sleep, laying her head on his chest once more.

He tried to free his hand again, much more from embarrassment, rather than wanting. There was that seductive voice in his mind though… persuading him to hug her… to touch her… to stroke her silky hair… to stare in this lavender depths… forever.

He shook his head, not clearly understanding why such thoughts where laying siege on his mind. He looked at her once more, her head trying to snuggle deeper in his chest. Unconsciously, a smile crept on his face at such a _'…cute…'_ sight. It was a rather cool, really cool morning the sun had yet to rise in the sky, yet the warmth of her body made him feel so… fuzzy… so… warm. It was better than any blanket or sheet he had ever experienced, and he didn't want it to go. He didn't want it to fade; he didn't want it to be a dream.

He finally managed to free his hand from her grip, but instead of pulling away, she snuggled even closer, the hand gripping his torso tightening its grasp, as if afraid to lose him, as if afraid to let it slide, fade away, as if afraid of _rejection…_

Even with his hand free, his face resembled nothing but calmness, nothing but pure tranquility as he cherished the moment. He secretly hoped it would happen more occasionally, but he knew it was just luck, her having some kind of dream where she hugged the object of her affections. He felt dread laying its sickening touch on his stomach as he thought of her having feelings for someone…

Why? Did he really like her? Did he want to keep her close, as something more than a friend? Was this, this feeling that graced his stomach every time he stole a glance of her sleeping form while his eyes inspected the area? He knew he had some sort of what people could call a slight affection towards her, and having known her better for only a few days! But now that she did this… he didn't want it to stop.

His mind raced back, yesterday when he was helping her overcome her stutter problem, which was a success by the way. She would softly repeat a phrase again and again, him persuading her to try one more time if the slightest stutter dared to grace even a single word. He smiled, remembering every time a slight pink blush graced her cheeks. Those pale _'…soft…'_ cheeks…

It was then that he realized that he have been slowly stroking her face, unconsciously as it seemed with his free hand... He slowly retracted his hand and brought it to eye level, the feeling of her warm cheeks still fresh on his palm.

He looked at his empty hand with amazement, as if not believing what he saw. '_What is happening to… me?'_ he thought, as if expecting his palm to give an answer. He looked down once more, and the whole world seemed to vanish at the sight of her lips forming a tranquil smile. A true smile, as if she herself cherished this moment in her sleep, as if she longed for such affection for a long time now…

Did she? He scanned the background of his mind, searching for answers in his memories. He looked, searched… and found.

The images seemed to fly in front of him, the world seemed to vanish, leaving only him and her, him gazing at them as the pictures of the past flied in front of him, reminding of so much, yet revealing so little. He looked as the image of an ink-blue haired girl with a bulky jacket handed him a jar of medicine with closed eyes and nervousness emitting from every spot of her body.

He smiled, remembering the gesture of kindness. Similar to this gesture he found none. No one had ever offered him anything, except of hate. Of course, he had friendship and Obaa-chan surely cared for him. But he had fought for these things; he had earned them. But this girl had offered her help without him even asking.

Another image flashed at him, this time the same girl offering him to cheat on her paper. The Chuunin exams…

He had refused '_Besides, I don't want you to get in trouble because of me'_ his words ringed in his mind, hearing his own voice as if it was from somewhere far away. He remembered adding the fact that he was a powerful ninja, but it was now that he realized that his words held more than he let out, even then…

But he was blind then, he was young and blind.

Another image graced his vision, when they where younger, at the training grounds, before his battle at the Chuunin exams…

More images started flying before him, so fast, yet he was able to make them out as if they where standing still in front of him…

Missions… moments… time they had spent together…

His eyes went wide when for some reason, a memory that shouldn't be related flashed. It was night… he was at a waterfall, searching for some strange sounds he had heard. And there he found her…

Dancing, her graceful movements breathtaking, the light of the moon revealing nothing but her form in the darkness of the night. The water seemed to dance in perfect harmony with her as she moved her hands in perfectly coordinated movements. His eyes where wide as his heart raced at this beautiful sight… but why was it coming up now…?

He stepped forward to talk to her… but this time he didn't fall in the water. This time, he stood at the edge of the lake, staring at her form. She stopped dancing, and looked back at him…

Revealing lavender moons…

And it was then that the image vanished, the world seemed to return as his vision focused on his surroundings. He once more looked down at the girl who seemed so eager to stay close to him, holding him tight as the most precious thing in the world.

A fond smile graced his lips. He relaxed as he let his head rest on the tree. Closing his eyes, he cherished the warmth she emitted; he cherished the feeling of her body against his, the feeling that he was wanted… even if she was dreaming of someone else…

Dread touched him once more, but he didn't allow it to stay. He shoved it away, not wanting to ruin the moment. He slowly drifted back to sleep…

Yet unconsciously or not, we might never know, the hand that was previously locked in her grip was now hugging her by the waist, keeping her closer…

XxxxX

Itachi's eye quirked open as he sensed something…

A kunai suddenly appeared in his hand and in less than a split second, it was hurled into…

A rabbit? He sighed. Maybe he was just worrying too much, but he had that feeling that something bad was going to happen soon… he just couldn't shove it away.

Ignoring it for the moment, he shook his head as if to take away the sleepiness. He spotted Sakura being snuggled in her sleeping bag. True, it was a cool morning. His eyes darted for the tree branches, and he spotted his younger brother standing on one of them, scanning the area with his eyes. Itachi barely held back a grin as a thought crossed his mind…

XxxxX

Sasuke had gone to sleep after the little talk with his brother last night. He remembered Itachi waking him up to take his post for the night, and he agreed. He couldn't really sleep anyway. He had this feeling… like something was about to happen…

He also remembered something that made his lips plaster a grin. A wide one…

He and Itachi had placed the young girl next to the dobe, and if all went good, they would have a hell of a laugh when morning came…

He chuckled silently, bringing a vision of her face turning limitless colors of red when she woke up and realized where she was… oh yeah, it would be fun.

His eyes narrowed when a presence appeared right next to him, and in less than a second, a kunai was in his hand, ready for combat.

But no less than one more second passed before he realized who the 'intruder' was…

He sighed "Itachi… do you have to scare me like that?" he asked, a little bewildered that his brother could be so stealthy and creepy at times. The rogue chuckled to himself as his little brother put the kunai back in his pouch

"Anyway, Sasuke, go wake them up, I'll stand guard for now" he said and his brother nodded, rubbing his forehead as if he had a headache…

XxxxX

Dropping from the branch they where on, he slowly walked towards their small encampment. He looked around for his friend's sleeping bags, but he found none…

His eyes narrowed. Something didn't feel right…

He walked towards where he remembered Sakura lying last time and kneeled right before the empty space where her sleeping bag was supposed to be. Then he looked up…

And right at a branch in the tree a few meters away from him, were Naruto, Hinata and Sakura, hanging from the branch in their sleeping bags, each one's face being paler than white…

His eyes went wide as his heart was filled with horror. He stood up, still not believing what he saw. He gulped as his hand slowly reached for a kunai. The one who did this could probably still be around…

He felt like he wanted to run for his money when he saw their 'corpses' grinning widely at him. And after a few seconds… they popped, a rain of candies washing him…

Wait… what?! Candies? What the hell was going on?

A flash of light, and everything disappeared. He heard someone laughing his head off behind him, and slowly turning around… he saw his brother.

Itachi could barely breath between his laughs. It was just so funny! If Sasuke could at least see his face! Oh wait, he could! He had taken a picture with his camera… now where did he find it?

Sasuke looked around the clearing once more, only to spot his friend's sleeping forms. He sighed…

Kneeling back down, he gently shook Sakura. Well, at least as gently as his frustration allowed him at the moment…

Sakura's eyes slowly opened as her vision focused. She saw Sasuke right next to her, his face forming a scowl. But there was something else… was someone laughing?

Sitting up in her sleeping bag, she looked around, only to spot Itachi still rolling on the floor, laughing his head off. She suppressed a giggle at the sight of the man. But remembering Sasuke's dark look, she held it back.

"Itachi…" Sasuke said scornfully, poison in every letter. Itachi though didn't hear him as he kept laughing his ass off

Sasuke violently turned around, his eyes wide and flaming "SHUT UP!" he shouted, and it was then that the older man finally started composing himself…

"Oh… oh I didn't have one of those in a really long time. If only you could see your face…" he said, fighting hard to suppress another burst of laughter. "Oh wait! You can!" he exclaimed as he chuckled, handing the digital camera to his young brother.

"Where the heck did you find this anyway?" Sasuke asked wonderingly, as if not believing that his brother could associate with technology. "This cloak is useful for more than just clothing" Itachi said seriously now, and Sasuke only sighed and nodded.

Pressing a few buttons, he found his picture. It was his face, painted with ultimate terror as a rain of candies surrounded him. "Wait, photographs can't imprint Genjutsus" he said incredulously. Itachi sighed "I put the candies in there…" he said, pointing at his camera. The two teens still looked at him as if he was crazy. Itachi shook his head as a grin was plastered on his face "Never mind, it would take too long to explain anyway" he said as he motioned his brother to give the item back, which he did.

It was then that Sakura noticed the absence of two specific people from the scenery. Looking around, she spotted…

A squeal made both Uchiha brothers turn around with wide eyes. Thankfully, it was only Sakura, who had entered a 'squealing-girl' mode for some unknown reason…

Sasuke's mind clicked. He had forgotten all about his little 'prank' on Hinata. Looking towards where his two friends should be, a wide smirk crossed his face as he looked back at his brother, who wore a smirk of his own.

"Awww they're so cute!" Sakura exclaimed as she kept squealing.

Naruto was sleeping with his back against a tree, Hinata being snuggled at his side, hugging him closely, her head rested on his chest. He himself had an arm wrapped around her waist, keeping her closer. Both Uchihas smirked while Sakura finally suppressed her squealing in a wide grin.

"So, let me guess; you put her next to him while she was asleep ne?" Sakura asked as she threw the brothers a knowing grin. They both nodded, their smirks never fading.

A flash of light made the two teens go blind for a split second. They shook their heads and looked at Itachi, who held his camera with both hands, pointing at the two sleeping teens.

"Oh. My. God. You know how they'll react if they find this out right?" Sakura asked worriedly. Itachi's and Sasuke's smirk though wasn't going to leave their faces any time soon as it seemed

"Believe me, one day they'll beg me for this picture" the older Uchiha said, shoving his camera back in his robe.

It was then that they heard a sound coming from the two sleeping forms. Hinata was trying to snuggle even more into Naruto, moaning lightly while he rested his chin on top of her head. This scene, of course, made Sakura burst into squeals once more, mumbling 'kawaii!' over and over again.

Sasuke looked back at his brother. "Hey Itachi, take another one" he said with a smirk. Itachi's smirk returned immediately as he took out his camera once more…

XxxxX

"Sir, we've spotted their tracks. They took the road to Sunagakure no Sato" said a tall man with long black hair, his gray eyes gazing at his leader. He nodded "Of course. Let's move on, we are sure to catch up with them in less than an hour, if they keep traveling normally" he said and his squad of nine nodded. They all disappeared in the forest in a blur of motion…

XxxxX

"You smell it?" Asked a masked hunter nin, looking back at his partner as they kept jumping from tree branch to tree branch.

"Yeah… there has been a fight here recently…" the other masked nin said warily as he stopped and dropped down to the clearing. There were marks of combat everywhere; sword slashes on the trees, craters on the ground, burned bushes and scorched earth, clear signs of a devastating battle.

"Let's move on, they must not be too far from here," he said and his partner nodded as they leapt away in the forest once more…

XxxxX

"So, are you going to keep them like this? You know how Hinata will react when she'll wake up…" Sakura said once more, but deep inside her, she wished she could see how many shades of red Hinata's face can really resemble.

Sasuke shook his head "Though I'd love to, we must also stop Itachi and his camera…" he said with a sigh as he pointed at his brother, who was still taking photos of the sleeping teens.

After a few minutes, Sasuke and Sakura had managed to detangle Hinata, not only from her grip on the boy, but from his grip as well…

XxxxX

Once more, he felt the world returning to him, as he slowly opened his eyes. He felt as if something was missing… as if something wasn't were it was supposed to be… he felt cold…

Then it hit him. The girl that was on his side was no longer there. He slowly looked around, searching for her form. And he found it.

She was laying a few meters away from him, her back turned against him. But he didn't need to see her face to know who she was… the ink-blue hair were all he needed…

Groggily sitting up, he rubbed his eyes and stretched. Ah, it felt good. He was feeling as if he was sitting still there forever, and then it hit him again.

Was it a dream? Was it just a delusion of his mind? Was it only a secret desire that lurked in his heart? He wished he knew…

He spotted his three other companions, Sakura, Sasuke and Itachi looking at something that looked like…

A digital camera? Where the heck did they find that?!

He slowly stood up, stretching his arms once more. Man was he sore. He quietly walked towards his friends…

"Hey, this ones looks good…" Sakura commended as she pointed at the camera's screen. Both Uchiha's smirked. "I know" they both replied. They looked at each other with an emotionless mask on their face…

Before they erupted in laughter. For better or for worse though, Itachi spotted the incoming Naruto just in time to put the camera away. The other two questioned his move for a second, before looking back to see their friend coming towards them, a questioning look on his face.

"What were you guys looking at?" he asked as he eyed Itachi's robe. He had seen the man hiding the camera in there. "Some photos I had from the past. Nothing of your concern Naruto" Itachi stated calmly. "Really? Can I take a look too?!" Naruto asked enthusiastically but Itachi shook his head

"I'm sorry, the camera is out of battery" he skillfully lied, neither his eyes nor his face betraying emotion. Naruto nodded sadly "Well, let's get ready. We've got a long way ahead!" He said cheerfully once more and they all nodded at him, satisfied that he didn't push the matter…

XxxxX

It had been ten minutes after Naruto had woken up, and for some reason, his three companions persuaded him to wake up the still sleeping girl. He sighed and agreed, as the others went around, scouting they said for. He neared the girl, only to realize she was already awake, sitting up and looking around sleepily herself.

"Ohayo, Hinata-chan. Come on, we've got to get goin'" He said, the last words getting out a bit softer than he intended. She smiled back, a happy smile that was.

'"_Woo, she's cute!"'_ and for once, Naruto didn't argue with the ringing voice in his mind. He just didn't want to…

She slowly raised herself from the ground in a standing position "Ohayo Naruto-kun, let's get some breakfast…" she said softly with a smile once more, her thoughts not letting her focus on the fact that Naruto was this close. He nodded and they both started walking towards the center of their encampment, wanting to prepare the fire for their meal…

But as they walked, they both had one question in their minds…

'_Was it a dream…?'_

XxxxX

"Sir, I think we found them," a young man stated, his gray-white eyes gleaming with anticipation

The one who was probably the leader nodded. "Are you sure they aren't civilians?" he asked once more. Attacking innocent people wasn't really his forte.

"Yes sir, one of them is confirmed to be our run-away. The scout is one of our best, he can't be wrong" the same man replied, wanting to reassure his captain. The other man nodded again.

"Very well. Remember, she must be taken alive. We have permission to eliminate any other opponent. Am I understood?" he said as he looked back at his squad. They all nodded. "Good. Let's go" and with that, they all leapt towards where the oncoming battle was supposed to take place…

XxxxX

Itachi's head quickly perked up from his ration. He felt it again. And this time, it wasn't a rabbit. He knew this feeling, he knew these signatures, and he knew this power.

One word could clearly resemble every thought that passed in his mind.

Trouble…

"Everyone, get ready. We've got company…" he said quietly as he looked forward into the bushes, as if expecting something to pop out of there. And it did…

A blur of motions and nine Hyuuga's stood in front of them. The company immediately stood up in a defensive position. How the hell did they find them anyway?

"What the… what are the Hyuuga's doing here?" Sasuke asked incredulously. They didn't expect company in the forest, so the girls, or Itachi, hadn't set up a Genjutsu to hide their identities. Thus, playing innocent simply wouldn't fool them so easily…

"We are here to take Hinata back to Konoha. Hiashi-sama has some really interesting intentions towards the traitor," one of the men said, earning a glare from the one who stood in the middle.

"Silence…" he hissed, "Even if she's a traitor, she's a shinobi and the former heir. Show respect" he commanded and the other man eyed him incredulously "Show respect to a traitor? Are you…" "Shinobi always respect each other, enemy and ally alike." The leader said wisely once more.

"Yeah right. Let's take this bitch and be over with it already" the Hyuuga countered arrogantly once more. The captain sighed as he shook his head.

"Anyway, we request Hinata to come with us quietly, and no trouble or unnecessary losses will take place." The Hyuuga captain said calmly.

The company looked between each other, as if they where talking with their eyes. Then they all erupted in enormous fits of laughter, though Hinata was a little more composed, knowing the seriousness of the situation, so she restricted her self to giggles.

"Oh, you really think we will let Hinata-chan go back in this shit hole you call family?" Naruto said, eyeing the ninjas with malice. Every sign of the cheerful mood vanished as everyone, except Hinata who looked at the ninjas sadly, almost pitying them, glared daggers through the Hyuuga's. Well, at least as much as Itachi can glare when his emotionless mask is on the 'turned on' side…

"Hinata is our friend" Sakura said, cracking her knuckles in anticipation. She really wanted a warm up…

"Yeah, well, Hinata is the only one who can actually stand my otouto, so why take her away?" Sasuke said with a smirk and a shrug. Itachi didn't question his reference to Naruto. He knew that the two had something special from the moment he saw them at that restaurant…

"Hey, why must I be the otouto?!" Naruto asked, his face a mix of frustration and confusion. Sasuke kept his smirk though

"I'm older than you dobe…" he simply stated and Naruto crossed his arms over his chest

"Dammit…" he mumbled under his breath, making even Itachi grin, even if it was only for a split second.

"Anyway, Hinata-chan's not going anywhere. You've gotta get over my dead body before you take her away!" The blond of the company shouted as he prepared himself for combat.

The captain sighed "So be it…" he said as he activated his Byakugan.

"Wait, won't the tall one say something too?" asked one of the squad members. Everyone sweat dropped… and it was that they really noticed what Itachi wore…

"You…" another one said, pointing at the cloak "Akatsuki… Uchiha Itachi!" he exclaimed finally and a wave of terror washed over the nins.

Itachi's emotionless mask didn't retreat as he closed his eyes. Reopening them…

"Sharingan" he exclaimed as the onyx color vanished, a blazing red taking place, three tomoes around the pupil of each eye. A fully developed Sharingan…

"Oh shit…" was all one of the Hyuuga's could say before a kunai found itself in his throat. His companions looked incredulously at the falling corpse and then back at Itachi. They hadn't even seen the blade coming…

They all activated their bloodline, preparing to combat the renegade. All Itachi did though was reach in his robe, and take out his katana...

He sighed "Fools…" he whispered as he shook his head. In a flash of red and black, he was off…

XxxxX

"So, we're gonna sit here and relax while your bro has all the fun?" Naruto pouted as Itachi kept fighting the Hyuuga's with apparent ease. Two of them where already trapped in a Genjutsu while one lay dead, leaving six more to go.

"Seems so…" Sasuke replied with a sigh. He too, wanted to test his strength against the legendary bloodline. Well, he could always spar with Hinata or something, but they just didn't have a chance…

"Hey Itachi! Save some for us will ya?!" the younger Uchiha shouted, and he barely stole a glance of his brother's smiling face before it became the one of an emotionless killer once more.

Itachi stepped aside, avoiding another palm strike from a Hyuuga. The momentum proved to be to his advantage, as he launched a roundhouse at his opponent's exposed ribs. The man barely managed to block the strike. Even so, the force of the blow launched him back and onto a tree, rendering him unconscious from the power of the impact. Five to go…

"Damn it! Remember, our target is the girl! Go catch her!" the captain commanded as he dodged one of Itachi's strikes. He felt lucky to even be alive against the nin. His four remaining men nodded and left to engage with the other four. The captain was the only one remaining against the Uchiha betrayer…

His kunai clashed with Itachi's and each wrestled for dominance over the other.

"So… the great renegade now has a group of underlings? And what a company! Your brother, a Haruno, the demon vessel and our clan traitor! Must be interesting eh?" he said with an actual grin. Itachi gave a mischievous smile. He noticed that the man referred to Naruto as 'demon vessel' rather than 'demon brat' as most in Konoha did. Yes, he had done his little research the last time he had visited Konoha, incognito that is…

The Hyuuga jumped back, knowing that the rogue could soon win over "So tell me Itachi, why didn't your brother kill you on sight?" he asked curiously. He knew that Sasuke couldn't easily defeat his brother, but he still couldn't understand why after so many years of questing for revenge, he finally came to terms with the Uchiha traitor. Yes, many in Konoha knew about Sasuke's purpose in life, which now seemed to have altered, considering what was going on.

"My brother simply has no reason to hate me anymore…" Itachi said emotionlessly and charged, his blade clashing once more. They kept swinging their kunais, until Itachi finally managed to blow his opponent's weapon off, leaving him open for an attack. But, instead of killing him, his blade found itself clinging at the man's throat, ready to end his life…

The man struggled to free himself, but to no avail. Itachi's grip was iron. He deactivated his Byakugan, knowing that this was probably the end.

"Do it," he said, not wanting to make this take longer. Itachi shook his head from behind him

"Not yet. I have a few questions…" he said emotionlessly and the Hyuuga once more felt fear…

XxxxX

"Katon: Gokakyou no Jutsu!" Sasuke exclaimed, and the Hyuuga was burned alive, along with the three Naruto clones that held him in place.

"Nice work teme!" the real Naruto exclaimed happily as he appeared next to his brother. Looking behind him, he saw at least an army of clones battling with a Hyuuga who desperately fought them off, though they just kept coming!

"If this are the best the Hyuuga's have to offer, I can't dare to imagine what the weak ones are like," Sakura exclaimed, leaving her own opponent hit the ground as she freed his collar from her grip

Naruto knew though, that even if his friends played cool, they where injured. He himself had some of his tenketsus closed, as did Sasuke and Sakura. Of course, they wouldn't admit it, not to play strong, but not to worry him. He actually smiled. These were his true friends…

He then remembered Hinata. Spinning around worriedly, he found her locked in combat with her own opponent.

"Damn it. Teme, Sakura, can you take care of my opponent? Hinata-chan needs help!" he said and they both nodded.

They looked back at the man who kept desperately fighting off clones, each puffing away in a cloud of smoke as his hands flied throughout them. They both smirked…

XxxxX

"Well, well, the weakling surely knows how to play tough, but for how long…?" the man questioned as he dodged a lethal strike to the head. Damn, this bitch was far stronger than what he had heard. But, he also knew that playing with such emotions can usually brake someone's resolve quite easily. He could already spot signs of insecurity in the young girl. He just needed a moment… one little mistake…

He jumped away as his hands rained a hailstorm of shurikens and kunais at the girl. The speed of a Hyuuga wasn't only for Jyuuken…

Hinata quickly activated the 'Shugo Hakke Rokujuuyonsho' as the deadly weapons neared. They where all deflected though as Hinata's hands formed the dome of chakra around her...

"I will admit, you're good, but not enough to defeat a rabbit!" he said with a laugh.

"And you can't even defeat an ant!" another male voice exclaimed from behind him. He turned around…

Just in time for a Rasengan to find its place in his face. The man flied back, his head colliding with a tree. He fell motionlessly to the ground, probably dead.

Naruto approached a slightly panting Hinata "Thank you, Naruto-kun, I…" she said but Naruto immediately stopped her, sensing the insecurity in her voice.

"Don't worry Hinata-chan! I'm sure you could kick his ass! But we just had to hurry up" he said with a smile, wanting to reassure her. He knew she would beat him, but they had to make haste and help the others. If they needed help that is…

Plush, somewhere in his mind, a tiny voice whispered _'"…You just don't want her to get hurt do you…" "…You can't stand the sight…"' _and many more thoughts that seemed to trouble his thoughts.

He shook them away, knowing it wasn't the time to contemplate on his feelings for her.

'_For her…'_

XxxxX

Sasuke fell to the ground, the tenketsus of his legs closed from the Hakke Rokujuuyonshou of the Hyuuga's. Thankfully, he managed to dodge nearly all of the strikes with his Sharingan. Well, the poor man that was unfortunate enough to be his opponent was pummeled at least a kilometer away from a raging fist, coming from Sakura, that is.

Amazing how much a ninja can stand. This man was fighting both an army of Naruto's and the two of them. Sasuke felt his feet go numb, not able to support his weight anymore as he made an attempt to stand again, already knowing it would be in vain. Thankfully, their opponent wouldn't wake up anytime soon from such a punch. Hell, he doubted he would ever wake up…

Sakura approached her fallen friend, examining him with what people could only call a 'medical stare'. Sasuke just sat there, waiting for her to analyze the extent of the damage. She smiled

"Well, lucky you. You only have some tenketsus closed and a few bruises." She said as she brought her hands above his body, green healing chakra emitting from them. He grinned as he felt most of the numbness fade away and the pain in random parts of his body decreasing.

Sakura had actually managed to create a technique to counter the Jyuuken. During their training in Konoha, she and Hinata where working on this for hours. Sadly, she had yet to develop an instant use of the technique. For now, it took her a minute or two to heal the damage, rather than instantly vanish it.

She sighed as she started working on her own injuries…

XxxxX

"Very well then. Only because you showed respect to my brother's friends, you may live to continue your purpose." Itachi said as he retracted his kunai, and the man brought his hand to his neck, as if to make sure that he wasn't bleeding.

"Thank you. But he will be here shortly anyway" he said with a smile. Itachi remained emotionless though "Really? It will be a pleasure," he stated. They both started walking towards where they had seen the teens fighting last…

XxxxX

Naruto neared his fallen brother, who sat next to Sakura who seemed to still work on a wound she had at her side. He sighed as he sat down himself, tired from the chakra he used and the fighting. Hinata sat next to him, a slight blush on her face…

"Well, that was a hell of a warm up" he finally exclaimed, grinning widely at his friends. They all grinned back in response, Hinata giving her always-soft smile. And what a smile it was indeed…

Naruto shook his head once more. Damn these thoughts didn't tell to leave him alone. It was quite hard though, considering the object that triggered them was sitting next to him…

"Kids, I've got someone who would like to talk to you" Itachi's voice was heard and they all perked up. They immediately took notice of the man standing next to the rogue. They restrained themselves from jumping up for battle though. If Itachi had allowed him to live, that meant that it was important…

The man who previously seemed to be the leader of the now annihilated squad bowed, and then actually smiled.

"I am truly sorry for what my men did. Though I'm sure they feel worse than me right now…" he said as his eyes scanned around, taking glances of the spread around corpses of his 'squad'.

Naruto and Sakura grinned; Sasuke smirked, while Hinata smiled.

"That much for opposing a bunch of chuunin…" Itachi mumbled to himself, but they all got it. Well, he didn't intend them not to hear anyway…

"B-but what are you doing here in the first place, Hyuuga-san?" Hinata said, curiously looking at the man. She knew that her father would want her back, but she didn't expect to be found that easily.

The man's smile turned to a frown "Hiashi-sama wants to take you back in the estate, throw you to a branch family, place the cursed seal on you and have you attend maid duties, Hinata-sama. He would also seal your Byakugan," he said, the last words flying sadly off his mouth. All eyes went wide for a second, and Naruto couldn't help but look apologetically at Hinata. He was the one who put her in this situation after all… and he felt guilty…

Hinata was scared by the news. Sealing her Byakugan meant only one thing; you never see the world again. Her father would probably lock her up in the estate and let her rot, while attending to maid duties in the process… how could he be so… cruel?

"And how do you know of Hiashi's intentions, if I may ask?" Sasuke asked formally. He didn't want them to take Hinata away. He knew what she probably meant to Naruto, besides a friend…

The man grinned at them. "I asked him of course." He simply stated and Sasuke nodded, satisfied with the answer.

"Ano… why d-do you give us such information now?" Hinata asked once more, curious as she was. The man smiled at her, a genuine smile that is.

But who wouldn't? She was just damn too cute for you not to smile at her…

Damn it, they're here again… he shook his head, trying to push them back. It just wasn't the time!

"Hokage-sama has planned this MIA thing, am I wrong?" he asked and they all nodded.

"Well, Danzo has information on what you are up to. Through him had Hiashi-sama learned of your 'betrayal'…" he said as he looked at Hinata "and send us on this mission. I don't know how, but Hokage-sama knew about this. She appointed me with this secret mission" he added and his smile was never fading…

"Wait, what kind of mission?" Naruto asked curiously. The others nodded at the man in similar curiosity. Itachi in the meantime was as always gazing at the conservationists, his expression void of emotion.

"Well, to tell you this, we have to wait for someone… Oh wait! There he is!" he said, grinning widely and pointing behind them.

They all turned around… and their eyes couldn't be wider…

XxxxX

"You really think they can make it?" a gray haired masked jounin said as his one visible eye gazed at the Hokage boringly. Tsunade sighed, "I believe so. What I'm afraid of are Danzo's ROOT…" she said a little worriedly. Kakashi's eye formed that all familiar upside down U that indicated his signature smile

"Oh don't you worry, I'm sure that if _he_ reached them, it's the ROOT officers who should be afraid" he said reassuringly. The Hokage smiled at him "Guess you're right…" she said as she turned around and looked at the village through the glass wall of the Hokage tower, gazing upon the series of structures. Her eyes darted away from the village walls, off in the forests…

'_I just hope they're safe…'_ she thought to herself with a sigh…

XxxxX

"Wait… this is…!" a masked nin exclaimed in total horror from his hiding spot in the trees. He and his partner had observed the battle and generally the whole situation unfold from their hiding place.

"Yes…" the other man exclaimed in disbelief himself. What was _he _doing here anyway?

XxxxX

All looks of utter shock came back full force when Naruto grinned so widely that one could think his face could brake in half…

There, a few meters away from them stood a man, not older from them, with red hair and scarlet outfit. His emotionless emerald eyes had black lining around them, reminding you the eyes of a raccoon. Everyone knew him, yet only Naruto had a feral grin on his face.

"Gaara!" He shouted so loud that everyone was sure that he was heard all the way to the town they where before…

But he held himself as a thought crossed his mind "Wait, what are YOU doing here?" he asked, eyeing the emotionless ninja up and down. Gaara had actually quirked a smile. The others watched the scene in mild amazement…

"Uzumaki" he said with a nod. "Uhh, that's my name alright…" Naruto replied. Had Gaara lost his mind along with Shukaku back then…?

"The Kazekage is here to escort you to Suna" the Hyuuga interrupted the awkward situation, and now all incredulous looks turned to him

"Why would the Kazekage, escort us?!" Sasuke asked as if they where crazy. "I owe Uzumaki a favor" they where surprised nonetheless, that it was Gaara who broke the silence. Last time Sasuke had checked, Gaara was a bloodthirsty killer…

Naruto grinned at their confusion. Sasuke hadn't joined the mission to save Gaara from Akatsuki, thus he didn't know certain things…

They all knew that asking more questions could only add in the awkwardness of the situation, so they decided to drop it for now and allow the Kazekage to do what he came for.

But suddenly, Gaara's hands extended, as if wanting to grasp something…

"Sabaku… Kyuu (Dessert Coffin)" he whispered, and Naruto's eyes went wide, recognizing the technique. What the hell was he up to?

He realized that Gaara's sand had not gone towards his friends, but behind them seeming to try to grasp something that lied on the tree. And it did…

Seconds later, with a motion of Gaara's hand, two men imprisoned in a mount of sand came flying out of the branch, floating above the group. Only their faces, which where hidden by a mask, where visible throughout the sand coffin.

Everyone frowned, remembering that they would also have to deal with hunter nins…

"Did they follow you here?" Naruto asked the Hyuuga. He shook his head "No, Hiashi-sama was the only one besides Danzo who knew of what we where up too. Plus, neither my men, nor I had sensed them around. They must have followed their own trail here..." he said as he eyed the masked nins. He was sure that he could sense their fear even if he went a mile away…

"So, they must be Danzo's men…" Sasuke said as a smirk crossed his face. The others nodded in agreement. If they could see under the sand, they would easily take notice of the men shivering…

Gaara's techniques were quite famous…

A glare from Itachi's red gaze told the men everything they needed

'Spit it out'

And they did.

In only a few minutes, they had learned everything. Danzo had his own network spying on Naruto, hoping to find an opportunity or a reason to kill him. No luck till now. They also swore that they where the only men that Danzo had sent… for now.

"You may live, only to tell Danzo to leave my friends alone" Gaara stated coldly as he eyed one of the hunters. "Yes, yes! We will do anything!" said the other one as he nodded his head. Or at least tried…

Gaara glared at him and with the clench of his fist… the man was reduced to nothing but blood…

The sand hit the ground, and blood started seeping out of it. The mound quickly retreated, entering back into Gaara's gourd, leaving a pool of fresh blood behind. All teens shivered at the sight…

"W-w-why did you kill him?!" the still alive hunter asked, horror to every word.

"A sign… of what will happen if my request is taken for granted…" Gaara replied coldly once more. He freed the prisoner and he quickly knelt, not wanting to displease the Kazekage in any way.

"Yes, Kazekage-sama, your message will be delivered" he said boldly, fear still emitting from him. He vanished in blur of motion as he headed back to Konoha at full speed…

XxxxX

The man kept running and running, jumping from tree branch to tree branch, wanting to get as far away from the sand demon as fast as possible. Even without Shukaku, Gaara wasn't one to trifle with…

His movements came to a halt as a burning sensation caught his stomach, making him black out for a second…

The shock was soon replaced with pain, enormous, unyielding pain. He brought his hand to his midsection… something warm… something like a warm liquid was staining him.

He raised his hand to eye level. It was a red liquid… it was blood… his blood…

"H-how…?" he barely managed to whisper as he felt his powers leaving him. The blood loss was already taking over. He would be dead in less than a minute…

He slightly turned his head, feeling the grasp of death already taking hold of his soul. And he met…

Bright blue eyes… long white hair… and a black blade stained with his blood.

"Now, now, I couldn't let you deliver such news, now, can I?" he asked, or rather whispered, his voice softer than one could expect.

"W-Who are you…?" the nin whispered, wanting to know his killers name before passing on to eternity.

The man smirked, a smirk that seemed completely wrong on his young face.

"Why, I'm your executioner…" he said as he wiped the blood off his blade with a single motion of his hand, and sheathed it back at his side.

The hunter fell to the ground, his powers drained, his soul claimed. The swordsman landed next to him, eyeing the corpse for a second before turning to walk towards the direction his victim had come from.

The wind carried his soft, evil laughter through the forest as it danced between the trees…

XxxxX

"So, Tsunade-obaa-chan asked you to help us?" Naruto said curiously. Gaara nodded

"Yes, the Hokage asked Suna for help on this delicate matter…" the red haired teen replied. Naruto grinned widely. So it wasn't that Tsunade had requested Gaara to go and help. It was he who had come on his own…

Sasuke smirked "And you came alone?" he asked, not clearly understanding why he would come all on his own on such a 'mission'.

Gaara nodded "More people would attract attention. You already are a group of five, so even more would make it hard to travel." He said. True, that was quite logical if you thought about it…

"Fine. We should get going though, Kazekage-sama" Itachi said, showing at least some respect to the boy. He already knew of Gaara's powers. He was there when they extracted the demon anyway… or at least his astral image that is…

Gaara nodded, agreeing with Itachi's way of thinking.

"Come on. I'll make this quick" he said as sand started drifting out of his gourd. Itachi immediately caught the idea of what was going on, and leaned near Gaara, whispering something in his ear. After a minute, Gaara's face plastered a smirk…

The others questioned his move, but didn't react. They just waited as Gaara's sand swirled around him, seeming fascinated by the small conversation with Itachi. He nodded, allowing the renegade to know that he agreed…

"Let's get going," he said and his sand swirled underneath the teens, lifting them up in clouds of sand.

Sasuke and Sakura sat on one cloud, the strange sensation of leaving the concrete ground fascinating yet scary all together.

Naruto and Hinata on another one. Hinata giggled as the sand lifted her and Naruto from the ground, the sensation of it being a little awkward as she had never experienced it. There wasn't that much of sand in Konoha, and she had never been to a beach…

Itachi was on the same cloud with Gaara, a smirk plastered on his face at the sight of a slightly nervous Naruto, a fascinated Sakura and Hinata, and an emotionless Sasuke. Yeah, things worked out just fine…

"You know, I could always put everyone in different clouds" Gaara whispered as he too eyed his companions. Itachi smirked "Nah, I'm sure they will be fine like this. I can't change my mind now, can I?" he asked, his smirk never fading. Gaara smirked back

"No… you can't…" and with that they where off towards Suna…

XxxxX

The Hyuuga had started his own little journey back to Konoha. Someone had to inform Hiashi of what happened, which he would actually alter a little… and of course, give the real report to the Hokage.

Everything seemed just fine as he kept walking down the road towards the town… too bad it wasn't...

XxxxX

They where flying above the forest, each couple on its own cloud. But how things where going with each individuals?

Well, not much of Itachi and Gaara. They where both staring blankly forward, Gaara didn't seem to pay the slightest effort on this little journey, while Itachi just enjoyed the ride and the feeling of the wind on his face…

XxxxX

"Do you think that Itachi purposely arranged us on the clouds?" Sakura asked as she looked down. She quickly regretted it. Man where they high…

Sasuke smirked "I don't think so" he said and his voice seemed to bring Sakura back from her 'Don't look down' mantra.

"I know so," he added, his smirk never fading. Sakura joined in the mood as she grinned back at him.

They both looked to their left, where Hinata and Naruto seemed to be engaged in a conversation…

XxxxX

"Look, Hinata-chan, I'm sorry…" Naruto said almost apologetically at the young girl sitting next to him. She looked at him incredulously for a moment. What was there to be sorry for?

"I mean, you didn't have to come with us… now you're in trouble with your family…" he said, this time apology painting his words. But Hinata did the last thing he expected her to do at the moment…

She smiled

"Naruto-kun, it was my choice to come… and I don't regret it," she said boldly as her smile kept gracing her face. Naruto stared at her, images of his 'dream' flying in his mind.

At the sight of that smile… he wanted to hug her… he wanted assurance that she didn't blame him for anything… he wanted to feel this warm feeling once more… this feeling that you where wanted…

He needed it.

But he restrained himself. What would she think of him if he just hugged her all of a sudden? It would be weird, and she might even push him off, irritated or angered from his move. He didn't want to risk it… he didn't want their friendship to have a bad turn simply because he would try something so stupid like hugging her…

But she was a friend. Friends can hug each other… right? But what could he say? '_" Friends hug each other, I needed to hug someone"'_ no that would sound weird…

Maybe with an excuse like that it was cold? No Hinata wasn't stupid, she could surely feel the atmosphere all right. The wind that blew through them wasn't cold. It was a rather warm, rejuvenating breeze as they kept flying over the forests.

He relaxed. The sensation reminded him of how he felt when he was around her… this tranquility that seemed to grace his senses whenever she was around. Even at their training days back in Konoha, he never had to yell, at least to her. She always listened… always…

Aww it just wasn't fair! And why the heck could he want to hug her? It wasn't like he liked her or something… right?

Damn his mind, it kept giving him a headache whenever he tried to sort out his feelings. Well, for Sakura, he didn't really have to sort out anything. He was thinking rather rationally back then

Pretty girl equals:No matter how bad she treats me, I'll keep hunting her till she likes me back

Now that he thought about it… this was far from rational. Most guys would drop it from the first rejection, but Naruto just had to be stubborn. Just had to get her attention even if that meant that she would break his head in half. Funny… who the hell would want his girlfriend to beat him to a pulp nearly every single time he did something stupid?

He sighed. Now that he looked back at his former self, he really couldn't understand why he liked Sakura to begin with. She was obsessed with Sasuke for god's sake. Three years ago, the only way that you could make Sakura to look at Naruto was to order her, or for him to say something bad about Sasuke

But who could blame him? He had no parents to guide him through such matters. Thus, he was unable to understand when the time came to move on. But now, he had. Finally, his mindless crush had faded away. And he liked it. It cost less strikes on the head this way…

It was then that he realized he was lost in a trance. But something was amiss… there was a strange weight on his shoulder…

Titling his head lightly, as if afraid of what could it be, his eyes went wide at what he saw.

Hinata had leaned her head on his shoulder, her body's weight resting on him firmly. When had she done that?

"Umm, Hinata?" he asked quietly, mostly feeling nervous on the situation. An 'Mmm' of satisfaction was her reply as she seemed to snuggle closer. He sighed. She was asleep…

Yet he didn't mind… not at all. He didn't feel like pushing her away. It was awkward, but his hand seemed to tingle, as if trying to move on its own, as if wanting to embrace her. Why the hell did he react this way?

But she was so warm… so soft… so… her…

Another slight moan from the sleeping girl made him catch his breath. Damn it, did she know how this sounded? It was the cutest thing ever!

… why did the word cute kept coming up every time she entered his mind?

He looked forward, his eyes darting to the cloud Itachi and Gaara where on. He raised an eyebrow as he noticed the renegade looking at them over his shoulder, a grin of satisfaction on his face.

Then it hit him. So Itachi had done this on purpose eh? Sneaky bastard…

Whatever, he could thank him later.

Wait… thank him? The position was supposed to be embarrassing! He wasn't supposed to enjoy it!

Yet he did. He just couldn't help it. It was so strange. It felt completely different from what he felt when he was near Sakura the days he had a crush on her. It just felt so different… a completely new feeling. He couldn't name it… the word was forming on his mind, yet it faded away, leaving him wandering what was he feeling. Damn it…

He noticed Itachi holding up what looked like a camera…

Then it hit him again. So it wasn't a dream eh?

He would have to thank him for this also later…

XxxxX

By the end of the day, they had reached Suna. They where all greeted warmly by both the villagers and the ninja of Sunagakure. Gaara of course, had to make it clear that Itachi was not to be touched and that he was an ally.

Sunagakure didn't trust Itachi. But they trusted their Kazekage…

Hinata of course, when she woke up, fainted on the spot, realizing she was asleep on Naruto. He let her lie on the cloud next to him though, waiting for her to wake up. But surprisingly or not, she had again snuggled on him. What the hell was wrong with her? Did she like him? Well, her reaction when she woke up didn't show us much by his opinion…

At least, when she woke up when they arrived, she smiled shyly at him instead of fainting. She apologized in her always-gentle manner about being a burden, but he quickly shoved her apologies away, reassuring her that it was no problem…

How could it be? He even caught himself wishing they would travel longer…

XxxxX

Gaara invited them to stay the night at his house, being quests of the Kazekage had its benefits…

"Here we are" the red haired teen stated as he approached the door of an enormous building…

Made of sand

"You build this?" Naruto asked, his eyes like everyone else's wide in awe. The house was like the Hokage tower, if not bigger…

"Of course" he replied as if it was nothing. He opened the sand door, and they all stepped inside.

To their secret relief, the furniture wasn't made out of sand…

XxxxX

"Gaara!" Shouted a girl that emerged from what seemed to be the kitchen. She wasn't older than them, but sure she was beautiful. She had shoulder length bright brown hair and gleaming brown eyes. Her body was rather curvy, though the apron she wore didn't betray any forbidden skin, as she also wore a shirt and long pants under it of course.

Gaara's face plastered a smile that they would swear it was brand new for Gaara's face.

She run over him and pecked him on the lips, a spoon on her one hand. "How was your day?" she chirped, a wide grin on her own tan skinned face.

Gaara sighed "The usual; Paperwork, killing some ninjas, attending to duties. Oh, we also have some quests" he said as he gestured the newcomers.

They all had an eyebrow twitching. From the girl's expression, which was still a happy smile, the 'killing some ninjas' part must be an everyday routine…

"Oohhh I'm so glad Gaara has some friends! You just didn't seem to have time for this sweety" she said as she kissed him on the cheek this time. His face was still smiling widely while his eyes seemed softer than usual…

Naruto gazed at their hands. They didn't have rings, so he supposed she was his girlfriend, considering her behavior towards him. He was glad. Gaara didn't seem to really have an appetite towards such things…

"My friends, this is Sahana, my girlfriend" he said, a tint of pride and softness as he exclaimed the last word. She smiled at them, waving her free hand energetically "Hi everyone!" she chirped.

Her attitude seemed much different from Gaara's, Naruto pointed to himself. You could even say they where opposites… but who said opposites don't attract?

He stole a glance of Hinata… her shy smile gracing her lips, her lavender eyes looking at the couple in front of them which seemed to be like longing… as if she envied them…

Damn it Naruto, stop it or you'll go on another endless rant about her… _'"Ow, come on! I wanna hear you"'_ that small voice said playfully and mischievously altogether. _'Shut up… it's not the time…'_ Naruto replied.

Man… it was weird talking to yourself, even if it was mentally. It was even weirder debating with it.

He remembered that he used to think Hinata was weird. Man was he a fool… how could such a…

Alright, he really needed something else to focus on, otherwise he was sure he couldn't hold himself. He would even start banging his head on the wall, if only to stop this from continuing. He wandered if the sand walls were hard enough…

His trance was cut short as a simple phrase made him forget his trail of thoughts…

"I've been cooking dinner. Please make yourself comfortable at the table! I'll be finished quickly!" Sahana chirped again as she went back to the kitchen. Naruto thanked the divines. He had managed to forget about that… 'thing'… oh shit, it was coming back! Quickly, think of something else!

"Hey, she looks really nice Gaara, where did you hit something like that?" Naruto asked out of the blue, but the question seemed to trigger more interest that he intended. Sakura beamed to learn how this happened, Sasuke smirked, pretending not to be interested, Itachi looked emotionless and bored as ever, and Hinata seemed to have a sad smile on her cute face…

'"_You can't get rid of me!"'_ his mental self said. He frowned '_… fuck you…'_

XxxxX

Gaara had led them to the table, where more than ten people seemed to fit.

"Well, you ask how I met Sahana? Well, things are quite simple. She came one day at my office, requesting a mission. She had problems with Iwa ninjas and as you know, we are on war right now. At least, at the end of it as it seems. Iwa is crumbling… quickly…"

"Anyway, after the mission was appointed, the proper personnel dealt with it. Two days from then, we had heard of Iwa ninjas having infiltrated Suna. I myself went out on the hunt. I was feeling rusty…" he said with a mischievous smirk. _'Oh poor Iwa ninjas…'_ they all thought…

"I managed to find the spies, and guess what they where doing? They where trying to capture prisoners of war, only to ransom them back to us. I caught them on the act, trying to rape Sahana…" he said, his voice painted with poison as the last words crept out of his mouth.

"I arrived fast enough to stop anything from happening, and that's how it began basically" he said, a smile replacing his previously dark look as his eyes glanced at the kitchen door.

They all smiled. It was a rather strange situation to start a relationship, but by what they saw, they where sure that things where working out just fine…

"So, I guess you guys are couples?" he asked rather curiously, eyeing Naruto and Hinata, and the other two afterwards.

It was only the two first that turned completely red. Everyone else smirked, seeing the results of Gaara's teasing.

"W-w-what made you think of that?" Hinata asked, stuttering a little once more. Naruto didn't mind though. He was too embarrassed to notice…

"I don't know…" Gaara replied rather playfully, sounding strange from a man that usually was as cold as ice

"Maybe it's just that you two look so appealing for each other" he said seriously, yet a grin was gracing his face. This made the teens blush even more…

Thankfully, for Naruto and Hinata, it was then that Sahana entered the room "Food's here!" she chirped once more. Both teens sighed in relief, though Gaara secretly scowled that his girlfriend ruined the fun. Well, he would tease them later…

XxxxX

Dinner was rather cheerful. Sahana sat next to Gaara, well, basically on his lap, her cheerful attitude making the atmosphere light and welcoming. Itachi and Gaara, along with the girl, were talking about different adventured of theirs. Itachi explained his situation and what had he done and for what reasons, and Gaara couldn't think of a reason not to believe him. If Naruto trusted him, so did he…

Sasuke and Sakura where talking to each other rather cheerfully, if you can call Sasuke's smirk cheerful that is. Sasuke mumbled something in her ear, and she giggled

"Ok, only if you pay" she said with another giggle and a grin, which made him grin back. Naruto caught that line though…

When was the last time he heard it…?

Oh yeah! He grinned to himself. Sasuke-teme had scored…

As for the last two, they ate in silence, secretly stealing glances of each other. They had similar thoughts running through their minds…

'_Do I like her…? "That's a question?" Oh shut up! "Come on, I'm trying to help!" You're irritating… "Ok, just know that if you love her, I was right! You where wrong…" I am you, you idiot… "Doesn't that make you an idiot too?" …'_

Yes… it was strange debating with yourself for sure…

'_Does he like me? "Maybe yes, maybe no" ano… who are you? "Oh yes, sorry, wrong person"…'_

Weird…

XxxxX

It wasn't long after that they all went to their rooms to sleep. They weren't the least surprised that Gaara actually had so many free rooms. His house was enormous anyway.

They all bid each other goodnight, entering their respective rooms. Naruto could hear Sahana giggling as Gaara whispered something in her ear and then lifted her up bridal style as they entered his room…

It seemed that the former Jinchuuriki was up for some midnight fun…

As his mind drifted in the world of dreams, the image of an ink-blue haired girl couldn't leave his mind…

He once more questioned himself, but this time, he had an idea of what the answer could be…

'_What is happening to me…?'_

XxxxX

**A/N: And here we go for a hundred time, Author's Notes in every line...**

**Damn I'm listening to much Linkin Park lately... anyway, time to short out some things to avoid misunderstandings.  
First of all, about the waterfall scene? I know Naruto didn't know it was Hinata. That's why he questioned his mind when the image appeared. It was as if his mind placed her in there, even without having really seen her. Understood?  
Itachi may seem OOC. And he is. I'm trying to resemble his more friendly and cheerful self from before the massacre.  
Sahana, the OC of mine who happens to be Gaara's girlfriend... well I think she's something I own in this story xD  
To tell the truth, her name means "Flower of the Dessert" or "Dessert Flower" (Sabaku no hana-Sahana) got it? :)  
Well, I know some people might dislike my NaruHina teasing here, though it is necessary. I can't just make Naruto fall in love with her! We need some background!  
I'm fighting to keep realism in a fanfic that talks about ninjas who fly around and kill people... how realistic is that? xD  
Anyways, that pretty much it. NaruHina won't happen yet, I also need the proper scenery to get the job done. I mean, how romantic can a dessert be anyway...?**

PLEASE READ AND REVIEW. Your reviews keep me going :)


	5. Chapter 5: A Typical Day In Suna

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Hinata beat me to it! Damn her! xD

**A/N: And here we go once more. Fluff in this chapter, not something much. I decided to put my own little drama in the story. Hope you like it :) Oh, sorry it took some time, I was just bored and this chapter wasn't really one of my most inspirational ones.**

_**Towards The Heaven**_  
**_The Travel  
Day3  
A Typical Day In Suna_**

What is the first thing someone sees in the morning? Is it his mother yelling at him to get ready for school? Is it the love of his life, saying the morning 'I love you' and continuing on cuddling, is it your sibling throwing a pillow at you?

The answer many would give is yes, but if one could look deeper, he would find out the false in these words.

For the first thing one sees when he gains consciousness in the first hours of the day...

Is light…

Look deep inside you. You find yourself hearing voices, the voices of your family maybe. You might hear birds singing, you might even hear bombs falling. But, you hear. You don't see. And there's the point.

Before your eyelids open, the weak light of the sun pierces through the thin skin, letting you know that it is there. That's the first thing one sees in the morning, even faintly.

But what is this light? Some would say, 'just the sun', others would say 'it's just light'.

However, to those that can truly see, the light doesn't only give the ability to see. It is a symbol of hope… and life.

An eternal circle it is… the sun recedes behind the horizon, letting the night take its grasp of the sky. The moon often rises, showering the land in its pale glory.

And so on and so forth, the sun gives its place to the moon and vise versa, an endless cycle occurring in perfect harmony, a balance untouchable by the hands of mortals.

Nevertheless, no matter how much one would berate on this subject, a single fact wouldn't be avoided, no matter the cosmic balance.

Naruto was awake…

XxxxX

He peered out of his window, his arms supporting him on the windowsill. His eyes watched, scanned, took in the image of what they saw, for as far as he knew, he might never see it again…

Sunagakure no Sato. As far as he could see, it was as if the village was built inside an enormous valley in the dessert. A square valley…

The walls of Suna were not just mounds of sand of course. They matched the walls of Konoha in size and strength. Konoha…

Right now, for Naruto, Suna counted more.

Nevertheless he let out a sigh as he kept gazing over the village, looking at nothing in particular while his mind raced through random thoughts.

"Daydreaming?" asked an all too familiar voice from his right. Naruto jerked up in surprise, letting out a yelp. He calmed himself down realizing who it was…

"Gaara… don't do this again man! It's creepy…" he said as he shivered and returned his gaze back to the village. That's probably the reason he lost Gaara's satisfied smirk…

"What troubles you, Uzumaki?" he asked. He considered leaving it to himself that he was there for over five minutes, gazing alongside the blond at his village. Naruto letting his guard down for so long and so easily… well something was up for sure.

Naruto sighed "Well… you did it Gaara. You became Kazekage, you rule over the village you love. But I…" his eyes turned misty, as if he was about to cry.

"I failed…" he whispered, sadness, fear, regret in his words. Gaara eyed his friend. He was just told that Uzumaki and his friends needed escort to Suna. The Hokage had kept the rest to herself, and the Kazekage couldn't shove away the curiosity the situation had awakened.

He didn't know exactly how things were, but he was no idiot. He had an idea of what Naruto talked about.

"Naruto" he began to take his attention. It seemed to work, since the blond wasn't that used to having his friend call him by his name instead of 'Uzumaki'

"If you succeed, you learn nothing. Failure though is a good teacher if you accept her lessons. So tell me, what did this failure teach you?" he asked, locking eyes with his blond friend and ally. Naruto seemed to think for a moment, actually putting his mind to work. Well, who said Kages can't work miracles?

"I guess…" he began, averting his gaze from the floor to the village once more

"I failed in gaining the trust of Konoha Gaara. What can that teach me?" he said and now the former Jinchuuriki looked at him strangely.

He nodded "Tell me everything" he said and made two chairs of sand, right beside the window…

XxxxX

"So that's how it is? Good" the Kazekage said, a smile forming on his usually void of emotion lips. Naruto had told him everything, the reason he left, Danzo's plans, the meeting with the swordsman, Itachi's interference, the personal Samehada retrieval mission… he promptly avoided the interactions he had with his friends… especially those with Hinata…

No! Don't think about her now! Otherwise Gaara may sit there for a good count of minutes before he had to snap Naruto out of it…

"This swordsman… you said he used strange techniques…" Gaara said thoughtfully as he eyed Naruto for a reply. The blond, only by remembering the man's smirk, which looked extremely wrong on such a face, had a shiver running down his spine.

He tried imagining Hinata smirking… nah… impossible…

He forced himself back to reality "Well, he used that strange element, Makaiton… is that even an element?" he asked the question to himself as he looked at the ceiling, as if the answer was written on its sandy surface.

Gaara looked thoughtful for a moment. Where had he heard about Makaiton… it sounded so familiar yet so forlorn altogether…

His mind clicked. But… it was impossible… these things where only fairy tales and legends…

"Oi, Gaara" Naruto said, snapping the red haired out of his thoughts. He shook his head "Naruto, I think I have something," he said, his thoughtful expression returning once more.

"Something about Makaiton? Oh, I forgot. While we fought, a woman came and she too used a strange release. I think she said Meimeiton…" he said, looking as if he doubted himself while he searched his mind, trying to confirm his own statement.

Gaara's eyes were wide, nonetheless. Now he was sure… yet again…

"Morning!" came a cheerful greeting from the doorway. Both heads turned to see no other than…

Brown shoulder length hair and deep brown honey eyes. Gaara couldn't ask for more.

Sahana was smiling widely at both of them, they, returning the smile; Gaara's being more intense. She must have just woken up, since she was only in a long sleeping robe. Well… who said the Kazekage robes have only one use?

Of course, this was special order. Gaara's loving smile turned into a fond one, remembering the first time she saw him in the Kazekage robes. Even before they were this close to each other, he couldn't miss the eyeing she gave to the cloth. So, when they got together, he ordered a robe to be fixed specifically for her.

Sahana of course, couldn't miss the smile on her boyfriends face 'and maybe lover…' Naruto thought but the notion was shoved away when Sahana neared them and kissed Gaara

"I'll go fix some breakfast!" she said, giving Gaara one last loving glance before skipping away.

Naruto slowly turned his head towards Gaara, who still had a fond smile gracing his lips.

"Well, she really is cute. You got lucky there man…" he said, and his red haired friend nodded.

"Indeed. Even when she learned of Shukaku, she was more concerned than scared…" he said, that fond smile not faltering one bit.

"Wait, you mean she's not from Suna?" Naruto asked incredulously. Gaara nodded again "She came from Iwa" he said and Naruto expression was something that could only be described as… let's see… what's the word? Oh yes…

'What the fuck?'

"Umm, you do realize that you are in war with Iwa…" he said and Gaara nodded even once more. "Yes. You remember what I said yesterday? That I first met her when she came to request a mission?" at Naruto's nod, he sighed "Ironic as it is, the war broke out a day after her mission request was accomplished. She hadn't left the village, since there was no insurance that she would live outside our walls. The dessert was hell…" he said, his expression turning into a frown remembering the bloodsheds…

"Anyway, point is, after Iwa tried to 'kidnap' one of their own citizens, we grew closer. I won't get into detail…" he added as he spotted Naruto's sly grin.

"Point is, I didn't trust her at first. So I used a genjutsu to make her tell me her true purpose here, since it was strange that her mission had us deal with Iwa ninjas. People surely talk much in their sleep, especially if you force it" he smirked at the blond, who grinned back. "I know what I did wasn't that honorable, but as the Kazekage, I had to make sure my village is safe from spies." he said, a tint of regret in his voice.

"That's when I found out her feelings about me. And I decided to give her a chance. Trying something new isn't always bad, Naruto" the Kazekage said, eyeing his friend up and down.

"It turned out for the better," he whispered to himself as he gazed at the still open door, the fond smile returning full force.

Naruto too couldn't hide his grin. He was happy that his friend had found something so rare… true love…

"So Uzumaki, what about you?" Gaara asked out the blue, curiosity and sincerity in his voice. Naruto wasn't only his friend. He had saved him from that hell of loneliness, he had helped him find what he had now. He had to at least give something back…

Naruto's expression though, was one of complete cluelessness "Huh? What do you mean?" he asked. Gaara smirked.

Realization hit Naruto as his cheeks formed the slightest shade of pink, barely noticeable to the untrained eye. Gaara of course, wasn't Kazekage for nothing…

"Come on Uzumaki. You have two girls in your group who share this adventure along you and your brother. The one seems already taken, so tell me, is there something about the other one that I should know?" Gaara said, still smirking in satisfaction, as Naruto's blush seemed to deepen.

"Uh, uh… what are you talking about?" Naruto asked, trying to sound curious. The red haired barely held back a chuckle at his friend's attempt to fool him.

"Naruto, this Hyuuga has more than she lets to be seen, and I don't talk only about the body part…" he said as he brought his hand to his chin, taking a dreamy expression. Naruto looked at him wide-eyed "You already have a girlfriend!!" he shouted, making Gaara wince. He was used to Sahana's cheerful attitude, but when it came to real loudness, Naruto was unmatched.

"So… it does concern you if she finds someone else eh?" Gaara asked, cheering in the inside at his accomplishment. Naruto looked down for a second, his eyes and expression not visible as the bangs of his wild hair hid his face.

He sighed, "Yes… I don't freaking know why… but yes" he finally said as he looked Gaara in the eye, letting him know that he meant every word.

Gaara understood him. Naruto, like himself, hadn't experienced love in any form in their childhoods, thus making it more difficult to know which kind of it they had towards their female counterparts. But Gaara had already sorted things out, and he would open Naruto's eyes, if only to give him a taste of what he had now with his own girlfriend, or even more…

"Here's the thing Naruto. How do you feel about Hinata-san?" Gaara asked. Naruto did as expected, taking a confused and thoughtful stance.

"Let me make it clearer. What do you think is good in her?" he said, trying to help Naruto sort things out. It seemed it helped…

"Well, she's cute, strong, kind, adorable, and has the most beautiful ey…" he stopped himself, seeing where the thing was going. He stared wide-eyed at Gaara. "Damn you!" he shouted, gripping his head as this voice had returned full force, nagging him without mercy.

Gaara raised an eyebrow nonetheless, since the reaction wasn't exactly what he expected. A 'thank you' though would be better…

It was then that the red haired realized his blond friend wasn't paying attention to him anymore. He seemed to be debating over something with himself…

"Naruto… don't fight it. Don't be afraid of something new. You never know where it will lead you. It might be for the better. But I tell you this…" Gaara said, as Naruto seemed to return his attention to him

"It's worth the try," he added, grinning at his friend. Naruto grinned back. He was aimlessly trying so many years before to catch a girl who acted like a bitch towards him, though now she was more like a big sister.

Why don't try with someone who was kinder then?

Gaara noticed Naruto's thoughtful, yet happy expression and nodded to himself as it seemed that his plan had succeeded.

"One last thing" he said, catching Naruto's attention once more. "Look beyond the barrier she puts on, my friend. You might find something… beautiful' but the last word was only a thought as he threw a knowing grin at his friend. Naruto grinned back. "You're right. Thanks man" he said as he placed a hand on Gaara's shoulder and gripped it tightly. After a second of meaningful gazing into each other's eyes, Naruto left the room with a grin. A wide one…

Gaara smiled "No… thank you, Uzumaki," he whispered and with a whirl of sand… he was gone…

Nevertheless, none of the two seemed to have noticed the presence that had heard the whole conversation after Sahana had left…

XxxxX

Naruto got down to the dining room, only to find Itachi and Gaara sitting at the table, looking absorbed in their conversation.

"What the heck?! When did you get here?!" Naruto shouted incredulously as not longer than a minute ago, Gaara was with him in his room. Gaara only smirked and motioned him to have a seat, which he obliged with a sigh…

XxxxX

Hinata walked in the kitchen, wanting to help Sahana prepare the breakfast. She spotted the girl walking gracefully around the counters, preparing something that looked more like a feast, rather than a breakfast. The girl chimed, her happy smile never fading as she kept rummaging through the ingredients and turning around an omelet.

"Ano, want any help with the breakfast?" Hinata asked, and the girl immediately turned around, her eyes scanning the Hyuuga as if judging her. Her look of judgment turned into a wide smile "Of course!" she exclaimed and returned to the preparations.

The two worked together, Sahana letting Hinata take over the preparation of some of the foods while she prepared the ingredients. The brunette girl didn't stop chiming, unless the need to give Hinata an order came. The pearled eyed girl's mood was in similar situation, though she was more confined about it, allowing only a wide smile grace her pale face.

"Ano, we could prepare some ramen" Hinata suggested out of the blue, and she couldn't miss the expression written all over Sahana's face

"Ramen? Who eats ramen for breakfast?" she asked incredulously. At this, Hinata's smile widened as she searched around for noodles…

XxxxX

It wasn't long before Sakura and Sasuke came down the stairs, their gazes falling from each other to the three sitting in the table. Sasuke actually smiled while Sakura grinned. The three in the table grinned in return to this silent 'morning'.

"We'll be going out for breakfast, see you later guys," Sasuke said with a wide smile and Sakura blushed slightly, still not used to this new situation.

Naruto grinned even more widely. His yesterday assumption was correct…

XxxxX

The slightly open kitchen door let smells from seemingly other worlds fly in the dinner room. All three males couldn't help but take a look at the door, each one secretly waiting impatiently in silence for the breakfast to come. For only smelling it and not being able to eat it… was a torture itself.

It wasn't long till their stomachs growled, letting them know that they where reaching their bounds. Naruto was ready to bounce to the kitchen, if only to see from where this heavenly smells came from.

Gaara knew how Sahana was an excellent cook, but this smells was something else…

Itachi's face betrayed no emotion, though both teens knew that he was thinking the same things as they did. Who the hell could resist it anyway?

"Aw, man, is Sahana's cooking like this all the time?" Naruto asked, his eyes never leaving the kitchen door, as if waiting for the said girl to come out of there with endless trays of food to devour.

"No… this is better than usual…" Gaara whispered but to the trained ears of both the blond and the rogue, it was audible.

They heard footsteps behind the door, the clinging of something and the slow sliding of wood on the floor. They snapped towards the direction of the kitchen, only to see two girls holding trays smiling at them. All mouths hanged open at the sight of the food, not because of the smell or the looks of it anymore, but from the numbers…

Itachi's hanged mouth of course wasn't noticeable behind the high collar of his robe…

One point for the Akatsuki cloak!

XxxxX

"That… was awesome…" Naruto exclaimed as he patted his stomach. Everyone grinned at the look of satisfaction on his face. The food was really the something else, but there was something familiar to it that Naruto was sure he had tasted…

It was something he had tasted long ago… this… this forlorn feeling the food gave him… strange.

"Well, Naruto-san, Hinata-san helped much with the food. She's a very good cook herself," Sahana said as she pointed towards the said girl with her hands, who blushed and smiled while looking down at the table, as if the wood was interesting.

Then it clicked to Naruto. It was during a mission he had with Kiba and Hinata… she had cooked… onigiris. Yeah, that's why this onigiris tasted so familiar. Hinata had cooked them!

"Awesome Hinata! That's the best food I've ever had!" Naruto exclaimed happily as he waved around with his hands. She blushed even more and mumbled a 'thank you', though her shy smile didn't go unnoticed by anyone, not even Naruto…

XxxxX

After the dishes where cleaned up, with the help of Naruto's clones that is, they all stood at the door, Gaara in his Kazekage robes that is.

"My friends, as you may well know, Suna doesn't run itself. I have my duties to attend to so I will see you at noon, or do you plan to leave today?" Gaara asked as he eyed the three in front of him, Sahana smiling at his right.

"Nah, I think we're gonna stay for another day before we go. We've got to get ready for the journey anyway. I doubt there are any towns the way we're going" Naruto replied with a wide grin while Hinata nodded.

Gaara nodded himself "I see. I'd like to learn more about this journey later on. So, see you later, Naruto, Hinata-san, Itachi-san" he said, nodding to each one of them. His expression softened as he gave a smiling Sahana a peck on the cheek. With a gust of the sandy wind, he was gone…

"Sahana-san, you're going to stay at home all day?" Hinata curiously asked the girl before her. Sahana's expression grew curious for a moment. "Oh. Don't worry about me." She replied, her smile never fading. Hinata nodded, a little concerned about the girl. She knew it would be boring sitting around an empty house all day long.

She may not have been alone in her manor back at Konoha… but the coldness that surrounded the building didn't differ much from living on your own. With the exception of cold, emotionless stares…

"Hinata, what's wrong?" asked a concerned voice beside her. Her mind drifted out of its thoughts as it recognized the voice.

"It's nothing Naruto-kun" she replied with a hesitant, nearly forced smile.

The three walked out as Sahana closed the door behind them. The two teens heard a sigh escaping from the man who was silent during the whole ordeal

"I need to talk with the Kazekage about something… see you later" Itachi said as he turned away from them, his Akatsuki robe swinging behind him with the gust of the dessert wind. In a matter of a few seconds, he and his knowing smirk had disappeared…

XxxxX

Both teens wandered around Suna, not really having anything to do. It wasn't their home, so they didn't really know their way around, thus walked practically aimlessly through the seemingly barren streets of the town.

Hinata felt herself sweating lightly. It was a hot day, and she was wearing a jacket that was more appealing for low temperatures. Not wise, especially when you are in a dessert…

Naruto of course, being less timid about his body, was wearing only his black t-shirt today, allowing his well-muscled body to be defined. The hot temperature made him sweat lightly, causing the cloth to stick on him, allowing his body to be more visible.

Hinata, not being that oblivious to Naruto's appearance, had noticed it of course. You could tell from the slight pink that graced her cheeks…

"So, Hinata, what would you like to do?" Naruto asked, as he grew tired of the silence. Suna usually wasn't that quiet, and he knew for he had been here for a mission or two in the past. It was just so irritating to be in such silence, with the exception of the wind that blew, lifting the sand over its path. The two seemed to dance as the wind blew and the sand followed, moving in harmony as if this was prearranged, as if this dancing was something that occurred all the time, and the two where familiar to it. The beauty of the dessert, some would remark…

The girl in question was a little surprised as his voice broke the long silence. Her own gaze was lost in their surroundings, her feet moving more on their own as her mind had traveled somewhere far away, somewhere where she wasn't alone, but with the one she longed for… the one she loved.

And said person was now looking at her, waiting for her answer even as she kept a look on her pale face that could tell anyone that she was in a trance. Her eyes slowly looked towards him, a bit of uncertainty and nervousness shining in the pale lavender orbs.

"I'm not sure… we could go train" she suggested nervously as her eyes didn't dare to look at him. He was just so handsome by her opinion, that if she dared to look at him, her gaze would lock there and never leave…

Naruto nodded. He really needed to stretch himself out. He hadn't trained for two days and he could use a warm-up. But where could they train, is the question…

"Wait, I need to check something out" he said and jumped high in the air, landing on a rooftop above them. Hinata stopped walking and looked up at him, who was now climbing higher on a tower, jumping from rooftop to rooftop. She herself found her way to the closest rooftop, gazing at his form as he moved higher and higher.

It didn't take long, maybe only a minute or two, before he reached the top of the tower, the guard lying asleep, snored lightly. Naruto chuckled as he turned away from the sleeping man to scan the village. His eyes searched for what he had seen from his window at Gaara's house. It should be somewhere around here…

And he found it. A grin formed on his face as he gazed up what he looked for. He turned around to the sleeping guard. Now what can a blond ninja do about it…

Hinata noticed his smile before he turned around and out of her vision. She waited impatiently for him to come back, even if she didn't give any sign of it. Why was she impatient? Why did this feel so strange? A few seconds ago, the boy she had a crush on for so much time was next to her, and she felt something that she never thought she would…

She felt complete.

But now, now he was away for only such a short time, yet she felt so uncomfortable, as if her beacon of power had gone missing, as if a part of her wasn't there. It may have been because Hinata wasn't such thick headed as Naruto, it may have been female intelligence, but she knew one thing.

She was in love with him…

XxxxX

Naruto had come back down after waking the guard up with what most would find the most pleasant of ways…

He had made a clone of himself as he jumped down and walked towards Hinata. He nodded to her with a grin and started walking. Confused, the girl hesitantly followed him. It took only a few seconds for them to look over their shoulder and back at the tower. Naruto's grin turned in a wide smirk as a man yelled and blood was launched from the tower. Hinata's eyes went wide with concern for a second, but a glance at Naruto was enough to calm her down as he only shook his head with a wide grin. She sighed to herself as she shook her head. Naruto could find the weirdest of ways to do things…

One of them was the variety of uses he had for his 'Orioke no Jutsu'…

XxxxX

It wasn't long before they reached their destination. Hinata gasped at the sight while Naruto kept his wide grin, as always.

Before them was the training grounds of Sunagakure no Sato, which found themselves at the far end of the village. The area was full of small cliffs, rocks. It was the perfect area for training. Some could call it the paradise of Earth users, others could call scary, for the rocks and cliffs had quite the variety of shapes. But one thing was for sure; Here was where they would train

XxxxX

"Argh!" Naruto grunted as a Gentle Fist strike hit him straight in the stomach, sending him flying to a rock. He crashed on it, nearly cracking the concrete in half from the force of the impact. The girl gasped as her eyes went wide in horror. Maybe she had overdone it with that attack…

She run over him, he lying down and grunting in pain. She helped him sit up and he laid his back on the rock, trying to relax his body as the pain slowly drifted back.

"I-I'm so sorry Naruto-kun, I…" she was cut off by his chuckle. She looked at him questioningly, surprised by his reaction. She expected him to shout at her or something, not laugh…

"Don't be sorry. It's been a while since the last time someone actually hurt me like that" he said with a smile. She forced herself to smile slightly back, but she still couldn't shake of the worry that overwhelmed her.

"Let me check you at least" she said as she activated her blood limit once more. The veins bulged around her eyes as she started scanning him from head to toe. She stopped as her vision focused on his stomach.

There was a strange seal there… something that looked like red energy was swirling around it violently, as if it was ready to brake out…

Hinata gasped once again as her eyes went wide "N-Naruto-kun, the seal… something's wrong" she said as the shock prevented her to explain better. He looked at her questioningly before averting his gaze to his stomach. His eyes went wide as searing pain cursed through him.

"Argh!" he yelled in pain as he gripped his stomach, a vain attempt to force the pain back. Hinata was terrified. What was going on? What could she do? They where in the middle of a barren training ground, and she was quite sure that no seal expert would jump out of nowhere and help…

The pain didn't seem to back down anytime soon as Naruto realized. Suddenly… out of nowhere… in his mind erupted a deep growl, the growl of an animal. He then felt something else…

He felt something so evil, so dark that for a second, he feared it would consume him, he feared that it would take him over. But all of it was lost in the blink of an eye as the feeling made itself clear.

He felt bloodlust. A bloodlust so intense, that he could swear he could smell and taste blood. But it wasn't his… it was something else. An image flashed in his mind. It was the image of a fox, a giant head with burning red eyes. He then knew…

Another shot of pain, and then everything was silent…

Nothing moved, it was as if time had suddenly cut its own flow, it was as if someone had stopped the strings of time just for him. And then…

A flash of red. A mighty flash of intense red power exploded out of him, it exploded and shook the very foundations of the earth. One could say, that even hell itself had felt it.

All was gone. The pain, the bloodlust, everything was just gone, as if nothing had ever happened. His breathing though was labored, his heart was racing and his mind had gone blank from what he had endured. His wide eyes looked around him, searching for his friend. But the only thing they met…

Where the massive iron bars with a paper that wrote 'Seal' in the middle.

He immediately knew where he was. He had been here a few times already anyway. But something was amiss…

The mighty demon fox, Kyuubi no Yoko was gazing with its blood red eyes down to the teen. Of course, Naruto was quite used to it, having come in terms with the fact that a giant 'fur ball', as he came to call it, lived inside him.

The furry mass of power chuckled sinisterly, showing his sharp canines.

Naruto gritted his teeth in frustration. He was annoyed that he had come down here for, by his opinion, no reason, and this damn demon laughed at him nonetheless!

"Oh, to what do I own the honor?" asked the demon in his deep, dark voice as he kept chuckling. "What are you talking about you damn fox? You know better than anyone why I'm here!" Naruto yelled, his voice echoing in the otherwise empty chamber. The Kyuubi though, didn't seem to stop chuckling anytime soon…

"Well, normally, you should be dead… but for some reason I didn't make it…" the demon whispered the last words to himself, but considering the echoing of the chamber, the ninja training and Kyuubi's booming voice, Naruto heard it. His frown spoke volumes anyway

"What are you talking about? What have you done you damn fur ball?" Naruto asked in frustration once more. The Kyuubi, who had been lost in his own thoughts for a second, locked his fiery gaze at the mortal before him once more. His wide, evil grin was unmistakable in the surrounding darkness.

"Nothing… its just that this little girl gave me the best opportunity to escape… too bad the seal is still strong," he said; poison dripping at the last words. Naruto now was confused. Girl… girl… Hinata!

"What the hell happened?" he whispered to himself, now worry taking over. After that blast of energy, what had happened to her? Had she escaped it? Was she hurt? Well, only one way to find out for sure…

"The chakra she sent to your belly affected the seal for it was visible because you were molding chakra at the moment. If she had put a little more power into it, she would have broken it…" Kyuubi said, sounding disappointed as the last sentence came out of his lips.

Naruto's wide eyes met the demons disappointed look. Shit… the demon would have escaped… that was what the explosion was about. He had tried… and failed.

Damn demon lords! Why do they have to be so evil? Couldn't they have sealed a nice person or something in him for a change?

He said the seal was affected… he remembered at the forest of death, when he was molding chakra, Orochimaru had placed a strange seal on him…

When he trained with Jiraya, the hermit had thankfully removed the seal, allowing him better control of his chakra.

So that was it! Whenever the seal was visible, it would also be affected from the outside. Damn… this wasn't good. Now he had to worry about the fox too…

The world blacked out then, everything went dark, as his feet seemed to leave the ground, allowing him to fly back in the light of consciousness. Kyuubi's evil laughter was the last thing he heard…

XxxxX

The light returned as his eyes slowly opened, revealing the training area he had been training with…

Hinata! He had to check if she was alright. The explosion was pretty strong, and she might have gotten hurt…

His eyes scanned the area as he searched for her and they went wide as they locked on her limp body, which seemed to have been thrown away to the side of the field. He neared her slowly, his body still aching from the stress it had endured.

Slowly kneeling beside her, his left hand flied for her neck to check her pulse while the other grabbed her body to pull her towards him. He sat down cross-legged and rested her head on his lap. Her pulse seemed alright, if only a little disturbed. He sighed in relief, seeing she was safe.

Her breathing was steady and soft, her slumber seeming peaceful at the moment. Her chest would rise and fall slowly, her eyelids twitching as if she tried to force herself out of the tranquility the rest of her body emitted, as if she wanted to wake up, yet she couldn't.

He sighed once more. Even without her eyes being open, he could still imagine that pale lavender color, this pools that one could say there was no emotion in them, yet hers held the world. A world he would gladly jump in to be a part of it. He wanted to be part of this world. He wanted it, craved for it.

Yet at this moment, all he could do was stare at her petite form as she lay in his lap. His hand unconsciously took a few strands of ink-blue hair away from her pale face as his eyes scanned her up and down, admiring her form. She was so enchanting, even asleep. He could imagine her smile. He could imagine her pale lavender eyes staring at him with an emotion… an emotion he graved for years, an emotion that only Tsunade had seemed to let out towards him. He had seen this emotion plenty of times in Tsunade's eyes, the one of motherly love, the eyes that a mother could show to her child as it smiled back at her.

But the girl in his arms, he craved to see it, not this motherly love. No, he wanted something only an individual who wasn't family could give, an emotion that could usually appear between a male and a female, an emotion that could soar souls.

He wanted to see love…

His eyes went wide as he realized what he was doing and what he was thinking. He laid back on a rock, her head still in his lap as she kept sleeping peacefully.

He closed his eyes, his body exhausted from the training and the strain it was put in minutes ago.

His mind drifted off as one last thought flied before him

'Am I in love…?

And with that he was lost in the emerald dream…

XxxxX

Somewhere back in Konoha, a satisfied clan leader had heard some excellent news. His daughter and company where marked as dead…

XxxxX

Gaara and a group of his best shinobi had arrived at the training grounds. Hovering over the cliffs on a cloud of sand, the Kazekage scanned the area for a possible threat. He, and sure enough the rest of the village, had felt this disturbance. Well, if you can call a blast of red chakra 'disturbance'. But Gaara knew this red chakra. He had faced it once. Only one person had such chakra, and he feared the worst…

"Kazekage-sama!" he heard a voice calling for him from the ground. Looking down, the group of ninjas waved at him to land. His cloud of sand slowly started moving towards the group of shinobi.

"Have you found anything?" he asked without emotion as he reached his men. The shinobi, who had called before, nodded and motioned with his hand the Kazekage to look. Gaara did, and the

Sight had him feel many things. Shock, fear, amusement…

Shock, for it was the last thing he expected to see. Fear, for he didn't know what had happened to his friends, and amusement, for even for the barest of seconds, a grin of satisfaction appeared on the Kazekage's lips before it vanished. Most would say it was just the reflection of the sun playing tricks on them…

If it was any other situation, the group of ninjas could assume that it was just a shinobi couple out here training and had taken a nap. Gaara imagined that it was that way before something happened…

"Take both to the hospital. I have some questions…" Gaara ordered without emotion as the guard bowed and moved towards the teens. Two of them picked up one of teens each and without a word, vanished in a blur of motion as they jumped to the hospital.

Gaara sighed and with a motion of his hand, the rest of the group was back to its duties. With a swirl of the sand and the gust of the wind, the Kazekage was gone…

XxxxX

His eyelids started to part, his slumber began to faze away as the world returned to him. He scanned the room and found himself in it without moving his head, for he didn't really have to. He already knew where he was. The white ceiling and the white walls he could see from the corner of his eye told him everything…

He groaned as he sat up on his bed, rubbing the back of his neck as the spot felt sore. His hands were a little numb, but other than that, he felt fine. But why was he in the hospital? Last time he checked, he had fallen asleep at the training grounds with Hinata…

Wait, Hinata? What had happened to her? Where was she? He looked around the room, slightly panicked. He calmed down, seeing her lying on a bed a few feet away from his. Next to her was Sakura, fast asleep on her chair, a small drool hanging from her mouth. He grinned widely as he wished he had a camera with him…

He turned to his left to examine the rest of the room, only to find Sasuke sitting on a chair of his own, he too fast asleep, though no drool was hanging or something, much to Naruto's relief. He could stain the bed sheets!

The door slowly cracked open, allowing a nurse to enter with a tray of food. Her eyes went wide when she saw that one of the patients was already awake, but the surprise was quickly replaced by a warm smile. Naruto sheepishly grinned back at her.

She left the tray that held four bowls of what seemed to be rice with small meat steaks around it on a counter next to his bed.

"I'll inform Kazekage-sama that you're awake" she said with a nod and a smile while Naruto nodded back in response. It a few seconds, she had walked out of the room…

XxxxX

After a few minutes, Gaara walked in the room, his face a mask he was all too used in wearing. His expression though soon turned into this of a smirk as he neared his friend.

"So, Naruto. What happened out there?" Gaara asked, curiously though he made it sound more like a command. Naruto brought his hand to his chin as if in thought…

"Well, I was training with Hinata-chan when something strange happened…" he started and the short tale didn't take more than a few minutes to explain everything till the moment he fell asleep. Gaara only stood and listened in silence…

"What do you think?" Naruto asked as he finished his little story. Gaara looked down and closed his eyes for a minute. He was no seal expert, but from experience he had, he knew one thing, and it wasn't good. Not good at all…

"Naruto…" he said as he looked up at his friend in the eye. Naruto felt fear overwhelm him for a second at his friends' intimidating stare. Gaara was way too serious…

"The seal is weakening" the red haired stated bluntly and Naruto did as expected. Stared wide eyed…

"What the hell you mean, 'it is weakening'?" Naruto asked, irritated at the situation for reasons even he couldn't point out. Gaara only sighed as he looked between Naruto and the ink-blue haired girl a few feet away from him.

"Look, I am no seal expert, but I have some experience from Shukaku. And I know this; the seal IS weakening" he said, giving emphasis to his words, wanting to let Naruto know he meant them. Naruto sighed as he covered his face with his hands.

"So… Kyuubi will be free…" he said, sadness, regret, fear in his words. Gaara knew how he felt. At years past he himself would have easily let Shukaku out to slay everyone, if it didn't cost his life of course, but now, he would gladly bear the demon again, if it would help him protect his village and his friends.

"No. From what I know, the Dead Demon seal can not be broken without killing both individuals." Gaara stated, wanting to at least put his friend's mind at ease. It didn't really work…

"So what? He will take over my body and kill everyone…" Naruto said, glaring hard at his friend. Gaara sighed again…

Naruto was right. If something wasn't done soon, the seal would brake and the demon would either try to escape and kill both, or take control of the body and use it as he pleased. Taking in consideration that the Kyuubi was no fool, the later was most likely to happen. Something had to be done and fast…

Gaara wasn't a seal expert and neither was anyone in Suna. That was the reason that he had such a hard time controlling Shukaku in the first place. But the only one that could truly help Naruto, as far as Gaara knew, was the legendary Sannin Jiraya, but the named man was now dead…

He had an idea of what could be done, but… how much can someone depend on legends?

"Is there nothing we can do, Gaara?" asked a new voice and both teens turned their heads to the left only to meet the onyx eyes of Uchiha Sasuke. Gaara looked thoughtful once more…

"There is," he said and he immediately spotted the rise of hope on the blonds' face.

"Far to the north, is what could help Naruto. Legends speak of forces unknown lurking in these lands. Many have gone there, none have returned." Gaara said emotionlessly as he eyed his friends' for reactions. Naruto was a little shocked and had visibly paled a little while Sasuke looked at the Kazekage with amusement.

"B-But, me and Ero-sennin have gone there!" Naruto exclaimed incredulously as he pointed at himself, indicating that what Gaara said couldn't be true, as he himself had come back. But as Naruto remembered it, there wasn't anything dangerous in that little journey…

"How long ago?" Gaara asked as his eyes pierced the blond, seeking answers.

"Around a year…" Naruto said as he started calculating time. He gave up, as he couldn't really find the exact date. "There was this peaceful green forest and then this campus full of flowers…" Naruto added and Sasuke nodded his head in agreement, remembering Naruto's story at the inn.

"Naruto… that's impossible…" Gaara said as his now wide eyes gazed upon the teen. Naruto of course, looked confused "Uhh why's that?" he asked, but for some reason, he knew he wouldn't like the answer.

"Because there is no forest or campus north of Suna. Only a small village" Gaara said as he kept looking at his friend with amusement. Naruto's own eyes where wide.

"Wait… I remember passing a town with Ero-sennin before we went in the forest…" Naruto said as he recalled the memory. It was faint, but it was there. He remembered a town, just outside the forest…

"One more thing, Naruto" Gaara said as his eyes left his friend and locked on the sleeping girl a few feet away. Naruto too averted his gaze to look at her. Worry and fear took over for a second, before her presence calmed him down. Even asleep, she could still make him feel calm…

"The blast you gave out may be a problem" Gaara said, his eyes still locked on the girl. Neither did Naruto's leave. Only Sasuke gazed between the two and his sleeping friend.

"We have spotted trails of red chakra in her system, and this isn't the worst…" Gaara said, not daring to look at his blond friend and ally. Naruto though, stared wide-eyed at him.

"It's killing her…" Gaara said, allowing sorrow to take over his usually emotionless voice. Naruto's heart surely skipped a beat. They could even feel it…

"W-w-what are you talking about? Why… why is she dying?!" Naruto nearly shouted in fear, agony, and pain. Gaara's gaze found the floor as he closed his eyes.

"Her… chakra isn't used to this demonic essence like yours is. It will kill her eventually, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but it won't take more than a month…" Gaara said again, hating himself for being the messenger of bad news. He felt sorry for his friend… really sorry.

Naruto couldn't help but allow a few tears silently slid down his face as he gazed at Gaara in disbelief. "G-Gaara, is there nothing we can do?" he asked, a ting of hope gracing his words. Gaara shook his head

"There is nothing we can do," he said with regret, fear, pain…

"But there is something WE can do" said a voice out of nowhere. All heads jerked up, looking around the room, searching for the source. But it was nowhere…

_"Far to the north, beyond the land of grief, find the light to guide you through mischief. Search for the monk, who lives in a tower, the mark to its place, a pale lavender flower…"_ the voice echoed as it seemed to fade away. All teens still looked confused, not really understanding what he said. But Naruto knew one thing…

"Sasuke…" He said to gain his friends' and brothers' attention. Sasuke looked at him in the eye, the previous fear, grief and sadness taken over by a determination that could make one believe he can move mountains.

"We're going north."

XxxxX

It was noon, and the sun had started setting behind the walls of Sunagakure no Sato. At the gates, right outside the village, was a group of seven people…

Naruto, Hinata, Sasuke, Sakura, all stood before Gaara, the Kazekage of the village hidden in the sand, who at his sides had no others than…

Uchiha Itachi, the newest Jounin of Sunakagure.

At his other side, and hugging his arm, was Sahana, his girlfriend, his love and maybe one day, wife.

Itachi allowed his hand to fall on his brothers' shoulder, his onyx eyes looking deep in the others. "Brother… have a good journey, and good luck," he said as he eyed the other three with a nod, who nodded back in response.

Hinata seemed a little unnerved, yet the others had yet to tell her about the… problem. Unfortunately, and in Naruto's secret horror, the effects of the foreign chakra already seemed to be kicking in as the girl seemed weaker that normal.

Sahana waved at them energetically, full of cheerfulness. "Bye everyone! Be sure to visit again! Itachi-san will stay with us for now till he finds his own place" she said as she threw a smile at the said former rogue, who now grinned back.

"Oh be sure of that. I still have to kick his ass" Sasuke pointed out as he smirked at his brother, who smirked in return.

"Guys, lets go" Naruto said solemnly, even though he threw a grin at all of them. They nodded and the group started its journey, waving hands back as the figures of the three members of Suna started to grow smaller.

Naruto could swear he saw Itachi slip something metallic in Sasuke's pocket. Maybe a camera…? Nah, it must have been a special kunai or something…

_"And so they marched towards the setting sun, the rays of orange bathing the land. A new journey they face, not on their own, as they struggle deeper, into the unknown…"_

_"Who knows what difficulties may unfold? Will our friends, stand their tall?"_

"Hey dobe, aren't we going west?"

"No teme, I know exactly where we are going"

"But Naruto-kun, the sun sets in the west, and we're moving towards him…"

"Oh…"

"Baka…"

_"Ok… not exactly what I had in mind, but whatever…"_

XxxxX

**A/N: Hmm... OK am I gonna kill Hinata or not? Maybe I'll change the story and make in a NarutoXOC. Yeah, that's more like it!**

**I really wanna see how many flames such a thing could gather. xD**

**Ok, I'm kidding, why the hell should I make such a NaruHina background, only for Naruto to find someone else? Plus, I hate NarutoXOC and the same goes with Hinata.**

**But... what will happen to Hinata? Will she survive out of this? If she does, will it cost her anything? Will Naruto manage to stop the fox from breaking loose? Will he confess his love for Hinata before the darkness forces them apart?**

No, I won't make it "I love you marry me", this would rush things to much. Just wait and see... just wait and see...


	6. Chapter 6: Through The Dessert

**A/N: Miss me? Here's the rewritten version. I'm sorry for any confusion the last chapter caused, it won't happen again. I promise that from now on, Towards The Heaven will return with twice the fervor. The Warcraft scenes are cut, so if you have read the first ones till the Flashbacks part, you don't have to read it again. Just skip to where the Flashbacks began before.**

**NOTE: IF YOU HAVE reviewed chapter 6 already, you know what I mean, please drop a PM. Be sure that I will notice and respond to it, if I think that a response is needed.**

**Now, let's continue our path...  
**

_**Towards The Heaven**_

_**The Travel**_

_**Day 4**_

_**Through The Dessert**_

It was cold… too cold…

Shivers run down his spine as the piercing wind of the night made contact with any of the exposed skin. But his blazing eyes never faltered, never blinked.

Three figures accompanied the one that walked a few steps before them, his sharp red eyes scanning forward through the darkness.

All the figures were warped in normal dessert clothing, face and hair covered while wearing what seemed like a deep brown robe over their normal clothing. If one could spot them in this endless sea of sand, easily mistaken they would be as simple nomads travelling in this starry night.

A closer look to these travelers could easily betray small bits of information. The one who seemed to lead through the darkness was surely a male, his figure standing tall and strong, his red gaze piercing through the blackness as if it wasn't there.

Behind him where another male and two females as it seemed, the male a few inches taller. One of the females looked strangely out of place, her lavender eyes showing no sign of emotion as her gaze seemed out of focus, her feet moving rather mechanically on the sand. The man who stood between the female forms couldn't help but throw glances of worry at the woman who paid no attention to anything whatsoever.

If one could listen carefully, they might have heard the other girl letting out a silent sigh. She was sorry, sorry for what had happened, sorry for what is happening and sorry for what might happen. God only knows if they can make in time… to save her.

The male on the lead suddenly stopped, his footsteps coming to a halt as did and those of his companions. For maybe the first time in the last few hours of endless, soundless walking, the lavender eyes of the girl seemed to have what people came to call curiosity, a natural situation in which humanity seemed to be addicted to.

The red gaze narrowed as his eyelids formed a frown. He could see it, it was… maybe half an hour away, but it was there. He could feel it. The way the wind sifted and the blowing of the night breeze that seemed to grow stronger and stronger, slowly, but steadily. It could only be one thing, something that many could usually encounter in a dessert…

He looked at his companions over his shoulder, a bright red eye with three tomoes around the pupil gazing at their curious stares.

"Storm's coming" he whispered audibly enough for all of them to hear as he once more let his line of sight fall before him.

"We need to find shelter" he said, letting out a sigh. This was not good… sand storms could easily last days. He wished it would be quick, for time was of the essence.

The three behind him nodded, and even if he didn't see the motion of their heads, he knew it.

His blazing eyes searched through the darkness for any form of shelter that could protect them from the storm. Damn it… things where getting worse. There was a valley to the west, away from their destination. But they had no choice. Either alter their path or attempt to walk straight through the storm of sand, which was not and the cleverest of ideas by the way.

He sighed once more. His mind calculated the loss of around a day if they were lucky and the storm didn't last long. The keyword, which he half-heartily took note of, was 'if'…

The wind blew, lifting his robe a few inches, allowing ninja sandals to appear underneath it. It was coming… and it was coming fast… way too fast for a normal storm…

Shit…

"Let's get moving" he rather commanded and started heading westwards, hopeful to avoid the incoming force. This natural phenomenon of mother nature was rather deadly, not because of the never ending shift of the sand or the strong winds, but the reduction of visibility to zero, thus giving you a good opportunity to get lost in what seemed to be an endless sea of never ending sand…

The three followed him, letting one last glance fall on to the north, from where the storm was coming. They too, could see it now. It was nearing…

XxxxX

Ahh, the smell of sand in the night. It reminded him of so much, like when he incarnated a whole village, leaving nothing but dust in his wake. Yeah… these were good times. But, right now he had other business to attend to, maybe destroy a village or two in the way, kill a bunch of people to warm up and then, to let the real fun begin. They escaped from his grasp last time. If it wasn't for that damned Priest… curse them. That damn woman was nothing but dust now anyway, so why bother?

It was so peaceful here… so peaceful it made him sick.

Where's the blood? The incarnated buildings, the people screaming in agony! It was so damn quiet in the dessert… but not for long.

The night breeze blew, letting his long crimson cloak float with the wind, revealing polished black armor underneath it for only a few seconds before it fell back into place.

The moon was shining above him, bathing him in pale light. His figure intimidating, his face emotionless as bright blue eyes scanned the dark sea of sand.

Yes… it was only half an hour away. Excellent…

But he had no time to deal with these fools himself. As much as he would like to send that village in the grasp of fire with his own hands, he had more important business to attend to. And this 'business' could not wait…

Time was of the essence.

To the north, a sand storm was approaching. Foolish forces of nature could not stop him. You would need more than some sand and wind to bring him down.

To the south, a ninja village lied. The fools would only be a nuisance for their future plans. So why not take them out now? Yes…

His hands flied through seals. Not very fast, oh no, he wanted to enjoy this. He took his time. The sand storm would make it even easier…

"Makaiton: Makai Kuchiyose (Hell Realease: Hell Summoning)" he whispered as he slammed his gloved hand in the sand.

Seals and kanjis flied outwards from his palm and on the sand. But instead of smoke…

A blazing fire engulfed him and spread outwards, a circle of fire surrounding his blazing form.

And it was all over, as if it never happened, no scorched earth, not a spark on the ground.

And the summoner was untouched…

But something had changed this quiet night.

Now where only one figure was, four more towered around him, a giant mace in their right hand and an enormous shield in the other, hiding most of their armored body. But what could scare one the most… were their faceless helmets.

Inside the helmet was nothing but pure blackness, and one could swear that he could even see darkness leaking out from the void.

The summoner looked around him, the dark armored figures stretching, swinging their weapons in anticipation as if they already knew their purpose. The sounds coming out of the void where the face should have been were a combination of a screech, a scream and things beyond human words can describe.

A smirk that could make even the toughest warrior vomit found its way on the otherwise beautiful pale face of the summoner. His eyes were gleaming with satisfaction. The hunters were hungry… excellent.

"Ready yet?" he whispered softly and everything stopped. The sounds of clattering armor, the screeches, all stopped.

The armored figures sheathed their mace to the side and made a hand seal…

Another burst of flames, and four skeletal armored horses stood besides their respective rider. Small portions of bone where evident where there was no armor. And instead of eyes…

They had flames. Flames that could look into your very soul, flames that burned bright, a living fire in this otherwise dead body.

The riders mounted, each on their respective horse and unsheathed their weapons. Then, they stood still. No movement, nothing, as if they where just statues.

The storm was nearing, it was very, very close. Soon they were engulfed in it, their figures lost within the whirlwind of sand.

A whisper was carried with the wind, a whisper unheard by many, a whisper that most could see as a promise of doom as the four horsemen rode in the storm.

"Let none survive" and with that, he too marched west, following the trail of his next victims…

XxxxX

"We should be safe here" exclaimed a hooded figure with a nod as his red eyes turned into an onyx color. Three figures stood beside him, relief evident in their posture. The hooded man slid his hood down revealing onyx hair that matched his eyes, which kept scanning the dark cavern.

"We will need firewood" he stated and looked around the cave they stood once more. There was nothing but sand and rocks… everywhere.

Thankfully, such an occasion was to be expected, so our onyx haired friend, being one to always be ready for anything, reached into his clothes, only to pull out a scroll.

Touching it down and spreading it open, a seal with the kanji of 'wood' was visible in the middle. He brought his one hand in a seal while the palm of the other touched the kanji…

"Kai" he exclaimed and a cloud of smoke surrounded them.

And it may have been their imagination, for they were tired indeed, but surely enough, a circle of stones with firewood in the middle lied before them.

The other male pointed a finger at the pile of wood

"You… sealed a fire pit?" he asked, curious as he was, though his voice sounded more incredulous.

The black haired man turned to look at his companion and friend "Yeah, so what?" he asked and brought his hands in a seal.

"Katon: Gokakyou no Jutsu" he put the least chakra he could in the technique as a small fireball hit the pile of wood. It light up immediately.

The other male once more sighed "You know, never mind" he said with a dismissive motion of his hand as he slid his hood down, revealing bright blond hair and sitting next to the handmade fireplace.

The female figures also slid down their hoods, revealing pink and dark blue hair underneath. They sat next to each other next to the fire, the blue haired next to the blond while the pink haired next to the Katon user.

"Sasuke-kun…" the pink haired girl or woman, depending on how you put it, whispered softly to the man next to her. He looked up at her, exiting his, what people could call it, thinking state.

"Let's give them some time alone…" she whispered softly and silently once more, making sure her two other companions didn't hear the words. He only nodded in approval as he stood once more.

"We need food. I and Sakura will go hunt something. I saw an oasis a kilometer or so from here…" he said as he gazed at the exit of the cavern.

Of course, the question that could easily be followed by such words would be like 'Why don't we go at the oasis and stay here in a cavern?' Quite simple the answer can be. The dessert of the Land of Wind was known to be inhabited by plenty of bandits, plus the Iwa ninjas who might still lurk around. The danger on staying in an oasis, which equaled being in plain sight, was something a risk too high to take. Especially with minus one ninja…

The two left the cave silently, leaving the two others alone. If the pair sitting by the fire had looked up, they would definitely had seen the worried looks Sakura and Sasuke gave them before they disappeared in the night, the profound reason being the search for food.

XxxxX

"Naruto-kun… we go north for that village you said… right?" the feminine figure asked, her white-lavender eyes stuck on the slowly scorching firewood.

"Yeah…" was all the blond said as he too kept his gaze on the fire. The flames danced graciously, a series of hypnotizing motion that could easily put a tired soul to a peaceful sleep. But as bad as it is, the only thing the blond was not right now… was peaceful.

He felt guilt. He felt pain. She was like this right now because of him… no, because of what he _had_ in him. She couldn't even use her chakra, for the circulation could make the foreign invader spread even faster. Things were bad…

"It's not your fault, Naruto-kun" she said softly, assurance yet fear evident in her always soft and gentle voice. But the blond surely wasn't calmed by these words. No, his soul felt too much guilt, for something that wasn't his…

"Then who's?" he asked the fire. A cracking noise came from the burning wood, as if an answer to his question.

"I guess, we all have our toll in this one" the girl said, a small smile spreading on her features. He had told her about the Kyuubi chakra in her and how it must have happened and she was more than afraid. Fear…

A human emotion, a necessity one could say. Necessity, for without fear is no courage. You don't need courage when there's nothing for you to be afraid of. Courage is not being always being brave. Courage is the outcome of one overcoming his fears. Courage is what drives people to do things to protect others, even if the price is their own life.

And she felt courage right now. She was sure, no she knew, that Naruto could just find a way to make it happen. She knew he was no God or superhuman, but when he putted something in mind, it was stuck there.

But it wasn't only the selfish part of humanity that we call self-preservation that talked here. If she died, then who would be there for Naruto? He had Sakura and Sasuke, but she too was considered his best friend. And Naruto's friends were his treasure, his pride, his glory.

Treasure, pride, glory, for he had fought, he had strived, and he had paid with things that money could not buy to achieve the friendships he held now, the tied bonds that only death could separate. But… the stronger the bond, the larger the pain when it broke.

So that was what Naruto was going to do. Protect these bonds, keep them intact and only strive to make them stronger. He could _not_ lose her. No, no, no. He didn't know what to do, what to think of himself, if he ever allowed her to die.

"Don't worry Hinata-chan. We will make it. That's a promise" he said as he smiled at her, a reassuring smile, for he needed to reassure himself too. He didn't have to think he could save her. He had to believe it. She needed to believe it too. And the smile he got back sure made things less edgy.

"Thank you" she said as her hand unconsciously came on his own. She blushed from the contact, but didn't take it back. It just felt right, it just was right… leave it there, touch his hand, feel his warmth, his skin, _him._ A moment she treasured, for life and luck were cruel mistresses and could easily give you the biggest joy, yet the largest sadness altogether.

It felt… chilly. Even with the bright warming flames dancing in front of them, they could feel the cold of the night taking its toll on the otherwise empty cavern. She scooted closer, slowly, so slow that he didn't even notice. Neither did she.

Her hand still gripped his own, her eyelids felt heavy, her eyes sore, body and soul tired from mental and physical stress. She knew she needed some sleep…

Maybe she fell in the world of dreams before her head slowly leaned on his shoulder, before her whole body touched his own, seeking warmth and comfort. We might never know. He wasn't surprised. In fact he expected it. It was as if every time her consciousness fell in the emerald dream, her body, her physical posture searched for his own, a piece in a puzzle seeking its right place. And it had found it.

She was warm… maybe warmer than the fire that burned majestically in front of them. For he felt a forlorn warmth inside of him, a welcoming feeling that told him everything was alright. And it was. Indeed it was.

He circled one arm around her waist, keeping her and her warmth closer, inhaling slowly the smell of lavender she seemed to emit, his eyes darting slowly either to the fire or her figure. She was peaceful, her body rose and fell slowly, her hair had a tint of orange given by the light of the fire. So was her pale face, bathed in a warm orange light. One word could describe every thought that crossed his mind, everything she seemed to be, body and soul, everything he might have wanted.

Beautiful…

It didn't take long for him too to fall in a dreamless, yet for unknown reasons, troubled sleep.

XxxxX

Oh… they looked so cute. Such a heart melting sight indeed. He could feel the love in the air, he could even smell it. Perfect… it was just so perfect. His heart was overwhelmed with joy and anticipation. He just barely held himself from thrusting in and start killing. But no, if there was to be any true satisfaction in this, he had to make it slow… slow, and terribly painful.

Yes… yes, it was all just perfect. He would torture the boy, first shatter his soul, his spirit, his strength, his confidence, take away his dreams, destroy his most valued belongings. Oh, the anticipation! He could barely hold himself. But making it quick would just make it easy on the boy. No, no he was far from granting him the peace and glory of death. He would first suffer, suffer like no other did. For he was the jailor of this monster, the binder of its soul, the keeper of its life. Yes… the prisoner shares feelings with the jailor, so the most pain he would cause to the boy, the more the prisoner would suffer… yes, that beast would pay for what it had done, for making him turn to the Darkness, for binding him to what he was now. Revenge…

So sweet, so glorious. Revenge is a plate served cold and eaten slowly, so you can enjoy its flavor, memorize its taste, savor the feeling of satisfaction it bestows on your soul. And it just slept a few feet away from him. And there was such a bonus in the whole.

Oh yes. At first, he was planning to torture him by threatening his friends, by torturing them in front of his eyes, by taking their soul, crushing their minds. But he was so lucky today…

He had found something even better! Love…

Yes, love. And it was here, between these two. It was perfect…

His mind focused as lust started to boil in his blood, as his lips went dry and his fingertips prepared to grab his deadly blade. No, he had to restrict himself. It was not the time. Not yet. One more day, one more day and it would be done. He would make sure of it.

His prey was here. His salvation was here. At last, the long timed curse would be lifted, his tortured soul would be put at ease. The desire of his heart would be satisfied. He failed the first time, if only of their luck. But now he was prepared, now he was ready, now he had the advantage. It would be glorious, it would be…

Pure vengeance

XxxxX

They walked slowly, silently. He could barely make out his own footsteps in the sand as they moved evasively through the rocky area. He had sensed it, it was there. He couldn't be wrong, he rarely, if ever, was wrong. It was just who he was, someone who usually speaks his mind and usually what he says is true and trustworthy. But right now, in the coldness of a dessert night, in the darkness with the moon above their heads, he wished he was wrong. He begged to be wrong.

He had sensed lust. It was bloody, murderous, evil. What if the Kyuubi rose once more? No, it couldn't be it, he knew they had time. Someone was there, someone evil, someone who had the intent to kill…

With no remorse, pity, or fear.

He knew he was fighting a lost battle with himself, for he knew he was right. He had sensed this lust for only a second, but he just knew it was there. It couldn't just vanish. Yes, he was right.

And sometimes, times like this, Sasuke Uchiha hated to be right.

XxxxX

He was spotted! He cursed himself silently, why did he had to get so over with himself? He knew he shouldn't berate so long on the anticipated event. But he just sat there and kept thinking about it! But…

Maybe he could make a change in plans, a small, yet significant change.

Yes… why wait till tomorrow, when he could begin right now? Yes, it was even more perfect. He could make it last longer, he could make it be longer, he could make it… unbearable.

He could no longer restrain his fingertips as they touched his blade. When the gloved hand made contact with the leather gripping, the feeling was magnificent! So familiar, so familiar indeed. His muscles were flexed, his mind was set, his blade was ready…

He would kill tonight.

XxxxX

She gripped a kunai as she sensed the hostile chakra flaring up, if only a little. She braced herself, her footsteps sure, her blade ready, her eyes surveying the rocky area. At her side, she felt the familiar tiny chakra spike of her teammate, evidence of his bloodline activating. They were prepared for everything, anything.

Almost.

XxxxX

Split second too late. These damn kids were good, good enough to avoid a strike, but for how long? For how long could they hold out against his deadly, massive sword? His years of experience, his superior strength and agility. But no, he shouldn't underestimate them. He was a fool to do it once in the past, and it had cost him badly. He had lost a legendary sword, his prize over a victory, his loot. But not again, he would not repeat the mistakes of the past, he would not fail himself nor his master.

He would prevail.

XxxxX

He tried to parry. No use, the sword was much heavier and stronger than his kunai. But thanks to his Sharingan, his agility was supreme. He avoided the deadly blade just in time as he saw his dagger getting cut in half by the sword, as if it was nothing… which it was.

He gripped his own sword at his side as he jumped away, allowing Sakura to jump in, her own strength superior and surpassed only by Tsunade herself. He needed only a few seconds…

He had them. His mind focused as electricity surged through the sword. It was ready…

"Chidori… Current" he whispered as a smirk crossed his features. He raised his eyes from the sword to his fellow team member…

And he was off…

XxxxX

Damn brats. They were smarter than they looked. He might have had to use it…

XxxxX

"Sakura!" he yelled and the kunoichi jumped away just in time as he sliced with his blade, a down-cut strike that sadly, met the resistance of the black sword, the blade of the swordsman.

The sickening smirk was there once more, on that pale face…

"Fools, you can't stop me!" He shouted as he pushed Sasuke back, the teen's eyes being wide open at the swordsman's supreme strength. The white-haired blade handler grabbed his sword with both hands and forced it in the ground as he kneeled by it.

The blade started to glow, he could feel it. It was power, raw, dark power. What the hell was going on…

XxxxX

He didn't have time to toy around. He had a task to finish. Let the personal fun be delayed a little, who cares? He had all eternity in front of him, this two teenagers where nothing, completely nothing! They would not stop him from his purpose, they would not hold back his retribution. He would prevail…

That's the path he chose to follow... long ago.

XxxxX

"Enough with these games…" he whispered, his voice a soft note in the wind, a melody, the melody of doom. Sakura felt shivers run down her spine as the sword glowed more, and more. The power was imminence, she could feel it.

XxxxX

He was already wasting time, but he wanted to savor it. The fear in their hearts, he could feel it, even taste it! The terror was written in their eyes, surely, they hadn't witnessed such mass of power before. No, of course not. For this power, was not from this world, it didn't belong here, no, no other being on Earth had the powers he held. And he wanted to make them shiver, to make them fall to their knees, defenseless to the cleansing grasp of death.

He smirked…

The power retreated, it was drawn back in the blade as he had not the luxury to waste it. He only needed a small amount anyway…

XxxxX

"Shimoton: Touketsuchi (Frozen Techinque: Frozen Earth)" The power released from his blade as a wave of cold surged outwards, purging the ground from all heat…

XxxxX

What was he doing? He rose his power only to subside it? No, it was something else, Sasuke knew it…

But he was too late. Not a second passed as the words flied in the sky, that the coldness grasped his feet, gripped his body, overwhelmed his mind.

A few seconds later, both shinobi where on the ground, their bodies numb…

XxxxX

"Well, that was easy" he exclaimed as he sheathed his sword. Annoying pests, what a waste of time. He had other matters to attend to, but lucky them! They where part of the plan, so he just had to endure. Sometimes, he wished nothing existed, he wished the world to be reduced to dust, so they would know his pain, so they would know his suffering.

That monster... had destroyed everything... had taken away everything... it had made him what he was now. And he would make it pay. One way or another...

He had watched them die when it attacked... he had watched them getting slaughtered as they tried to fight back. Friends, family, everyone was getting killed in the field of battle. His children... his poor little children...

No... he was not like the other foolish villagers. He was no idiot. He hated what that boy held inside him. These idiots back there hated the boy itself. He knew better than that... and it would make it even better...

This ritual... it would... keep a part of the boy inside the demon... the demon would be extracted. But unfortunately such a ritual would kill the Jinchuuriki. Oh well, why would he care? That boy was nothing. He had plans to make... he had a purpose to fulfill... they would pay, they would all pay.

XxxxX

He looked up, at the frozen bodies of his previous opponents. Frozen and still, their eyes stared at him, shock and fear imprinted on them as the last emotion they felt before their whole body went numb.

"What are you looking at?" he said, even though they couldn't hear him. He hated people who stared... especially at him. He picked both up, their bodies like a solid, inflexible concrete. He placed each one of them on his shoulders and started walking away from the cave, the valley, inside the dessert once more...

XxxxX

..."Naruto..."... a voice... it sounded so soft... was it an angel? No... he wasn't dead... yet.

"Naruto-kun..." -kun... how many people called him that? Iruka-sensei... no the voice was too feminine and soft... Sakura... no, Naruto no baka would sound more right coming from her... Hinata...

"Who what where when?!!" he shouted as he brought his hand at his pouch, jumping up and looking around like crazy while searching for a kunai.

"Naruto-kun calm down" said that feminine voice again and he turned, only to see Hinata sitting next to where he once sat, looking at him worriedly. "Oh... sorry, just had a bad dream" he said as he grinned, trying to hide his nervousness. How could he explain that he jumped up from sleep like that, only by hearing a soft voice? Her voice...

"Naruto-kun, where's Sasuke-san and Sakura-san? They should have come back by now..." said girl spoke once more as her wherry eyes scanned the cavern, looking in vain for their two other companions.

"I guess so... hey, it's morning!" he said as he finally took in his surroundings. The fire pit burned really slightly now, only smoke trails rising from it. The sunlight bathed the entrance of the cavern as he turned his eyes towards it, blinded only for a second before getting used to it. He stepped forward, stopping at the entrance and looking out, as if expecting his teammates to jump out of nowhere. All that greeted his eyesight though, where rocks and sand. Small whirlwinds danced around as the wind blew, the morning breeze caressing his face.

"Well... we'll just have to look for them, won't we?" the smile that graced his face as he turned to look at her, was all see needed.

XxxxX

Gaara could say that he was happy. His life was progressing towards perfection...

But all good things come to an end one day, don't they?

Burning buildings... the stench of death overwhelming everything... rotting corpses, blood, buildings reduced to rumble. That's what was left of Sunagakure no Sato, his village, his home. That was what was left of it's former glory. Blood and death...

It had all happened so fast...

"Gaara!!" yelled a feminine voice... yet he was too slow, too late. A giant rumble fell dangerously close to him, making jump away in loose balance. He fell, hitting his head on a rock. But thankfully, it was not enough to throw him unconscious. No, not Sabaku no Gaara. His blurry vision saw Sahana, nearing him, concern and fear written all over her face. She shook him, her lips moving, letting him know that she spoke. Yet he could not hear her. The only thing he heard right now, was a steady tune, that kind of tune that you hear in hospitals when the heart-machine shows that the patient is dead, when that straight line lets you know that the respective human being... is gone.

That's what he was hearing. But it was no machine. It was not his death. Not yet. He tried get to his knees, his mind still foggy and his vision still unfocused. He lost his balance as he tried to get to his feet. He must have hit a sensitive spot... call it his lucky day or something.

He would chuckle at the irony, but the flaming flying boulders that were raining around the village, were no herald of good news. He shook his head, finally having his vision clear and his mind more focused. His balance returned as he rose to his feet.

"Let's go, we have to flee Gaara-kun! We can't match them!" Sahana said desperately once more. But she knew better. Gaara would never, ever flee his village, he would never fail it. He was the Kazekage, what would the people do, what would they think of him, if he just left them to die on their own. No, if he had to die, he would die with them...

"I'm sorry... Sahana-chan" he said, a pleading, sad look overwhelming his features as he kissed on the lips, maybe for the last time. Tears run down stream on her face, as she embraced him, dirtied as he was. But she did no care.

"Come back... please... come back" she pleaded, to him, to the heavens, to the gods, or whatever higher power could grant her wish. "I will... Sahana, I will" he said, a statement that he vowed to himself to make come true. No matter what befell on his path, no matter who faced him, he would return.

And with that, a small cloud of sand took him away to the skies, from where he would observe... and fight.

XxxxX

A whirlwind of sand and power, a powerful force, a brutal assault.

That's what Temari's whirlwind technique was right now. A vengeful, brutal tornado of power. She was pissed... no, pissed was only an understatement. She wanted to kill...

Her whirlwind stroke, hitting the target dead center as it was blown away to the skies, hitting one of those flying monsters.

But alas, they just kept coming. This ugly dogs from hell just kept coming. And to think she thought dogs were cute...

She braced her fan as hatred filled her eyes. These monsters were attacking her village, were destroying it. And she would not allow them to go further, would not allow them to take away what she loved!

A loud battle cry, a whirlwind of wind and sand. That's what blew at least three of these 'things' away in the sky once more...

XxxxX

"Get it off me!! Get it off me!!" Screamed a Chuunin as one of these Hellhounds had attached it's mighty jaws on said man's leg. Blood could be seen dripping and Kankuro was pretty sure that if he didn't do something fast, the poor Shinobi would have to live with minus one leg.

His fingers flexed as his puppet went in for the kill. The precise movements of his fingers brought the puppet in range to strike, in range to kill. A clicking sound was heard as the right hand of the puppet opened, allowing a dagger to appear, hitting the cursed monster right in the neck. The light of life faded from the dogs evil, red eyes as it's blood dripped on the ground, said monster following soon as it hit the dirt. The ninja fell on the ground, his hands supporting him as he looked with wide eyes at the dog and then at his savior. Thankfully, the wound wasn't that deep...

The ninja quickly got to his knees and bowed to Kankuro "Arigato, Kankuro-san" he said, almost apologetically. But Kankuro couldn't blame him for not fending off just a demon dog from his leg. This man had used all his weapons to keep the seemingly endless waves of Hellhounds at bay as he guarded Kankuro's flank while said man fought away with a much bigger... 'thing'.

"No worries, now get back to fighting!" he said as he brought his puppet to his back, positioning it in such a way as to be ready at any moment for launch, for fight. The man only nodded as his eyes grew more serious, more determined. Even more Hellhounds appeared behind them...

The man's hands flied through hand seals in a relatively impressive speed. Kankuro couldn't miss the glint in the man's eye as he turned around, slamming his hands on the ground...

"Doton: Hogoshachi! (Earth Release: Earthen Guardian)" and as this words left his mouth, a vast number of golems made of stone and sand surfaced from the ground. They were carefully made, shaped to perfection instead of just being a mass of rocks. They looked like the old Samurais of ages past, the resemblance outstanding. Kankuro was awed, to say the least.

The guardians pushed one hand in the sand. Withdrawing it, a katana made of pure sand and rock could be seen in each respective Samurais hand. Without any hesitation, without any emotion, they rushed in, their targets, the endless horde of Hellhounds, as they came to call them.

The summoner looked back at Kankuro, a grin on his face "That should keep them busy" and with this words, Kankuro smiled back, relieved that he had his flank protected. But no more than a few seconds past, before his companion's grin vanished, a look of fear and surprise taking hold of his features. Kankuro looked behind him himself, his own eyes widening. It was another of those... 'things'... big and ugly, a massive, blazing polearm on it's enormous hands, it's feet were goat like, red hair covering the skin. Wings sprouted behind it's back, moving menacingly, as if the monster was ready to take flight any moment. It's bull-like face seemed to grin... evilly.

"Oh shit..." was all Kankuro could outer, before the polearm came slashing...

XxxxX

"Here we are..." said a voice... but many would say that this wasn't exactly a voice... it sounded more like a noise that came out of a void, forming into words. And basically... that's what it was.

"We really have to do that?" said another one, a little lighter in it's tone, maybe a little happier that the other one. They both gazed over the flaming village, a rain of fire still pouring down on it. It was as if hell was released...

"It is his will, we have to obey" a third one said, or rather commanded. It's voice was more commanding, more intimidating, more bold and strong.

"Shall we get to the slaughter?" said the last of the riders, his own voice more soft and gentle. The four riders stood there for a moment on their skeletal horses, watching over the destruction that rained on the village.

They all raised their maces, enormous, way to big for any normal human to even hope to hold with both hands, yet these riders seemed to hold them with ease on just one.

The commanding voice spoke once more "Slaughter we shall!" and with that, all four riders charged in, to the raging battle.

XxxxX

"Sabaku no Kyuu (Dessert Coffin)!" he exclaimed as a coffin of sand quickly formed on the flying beast. No sooner than that happened, the Kazekage's clenched fist was enough to reduce the monster to nothing. "Sabakutate (Dessert Shield)!" he exclaimed once more as his ultimate defense rose, shielding him in a ball of sand, flying above the village. No matter how hard they tried, the flying monsters could not penetrate it. Their claws fought to rip the sand away, yet to no avail. They were flying monstrosities, like Gargoyles. He had seen such things when he had once traveled to the west on vacation. Well, it was only for three days, but he still liked to call such little brakes 'vacation'. It was there, at one of those 'Churches' as the Christians called it, that he saw these Gargoyles. Small flying demons with wings, the body being like that of a really short man, yet very hairy. Talons that matched those of an eagle and beaks that their sharp edge could cut through flesh as if it was thin air.

Such were the looks of the enemies Gaara fought here in midair. And unfortunately for him... they were many... damn too many. They had surrounded his shield, scratching at it from all sides. The shinobi of Suna from the ground could see endless waves of Gargoyles descending on the Kazekage from above. These things just kept coming through that thick, endless cloud of sand.

It looked like a usual sandstorm. It was supposed to be a usual sandstorm. Yet unlike other sandstorms, this one flied above the village, far above of it, hiding the sky of the night as it seemingly stopped right above their village, surrounding it in an endless sea of flying sand.

And then it came... these endless legions of demons. They were just popping out of the sandstorm, a never ending army. Some had tried to flee... but it was no good. When one would try to exit the village and enter the storm... all that was heard was a scream... a scream of pain, and then nothing. Only the wind that wildly blew, taking away the screams, taking them away and making them one with the storm.

They had no escape... they had to fight to the end...

XxxxX

"It is time..." Gaara whispered to himself from within his ball of impenetrable sand. He concentrated his chakra, he gathered his mind... for what he was about to do was no easy stunt.

The ball of sand exploded, sending many of these monsters away, cutting them to pieces, tearing them apart as Gaara's deadly sand cut through them. He started falling, yet his sand caught him quickly, allowing him to form his defense once more. Yet the monsters came once more, doing exactly what they did before. He thanked any Kami that was up there, for not making these things smart...

He repeated his little trick, over and over again...

XxxxX

Temari was mad. From where the hell did they come from anyway?! They just kept coming... a breach on Suna's wall being their entrance, yet they seemed to just come out of nowhere from within the sandstorm. Above her, many Gargoyles descended from the sky, attacking both her and her companions as they fought to fend them off. But it seemed to all be in vain... these things just kept coming.

"Arghhh!!" yelled a voice from behind her, one of her companions. Damn it, they had gotten another one. She turned briefly, only to see one of the Chuunin that fought alongside her being dragged in the sandstorm, his neck bleeding badly from the jaws of one of these cursed dogs, who were now dragging him away. She cursed silently as she closed her fan and hit one of the dogs that approached her. Hard. The demon was sent flying away on the wall of a nearby blazing house, then fell to the ground, dead.

There was no salvation. These things just kept coming, and one after the other, her allies fell. Only three remained to fight at her side now. Skilled Jounin as they were, they easily fended off the demons. But these things were countless, limitless...

They would overwhelm them, soon enough.

XxxxX

The sound of metal hitting hard on the sand could be heard. Kankuro was thankful, for he was still alive and the guardians seemed to keep the dogs busy, their jaws not enough to cut through such hard rock and sand. He was impressed... this Jutsu was quite powerful, it must have gathered only the strongest materials from the earth, if the golems could stand that much and be that efficient in combat. They were slow... very slow for a veteran ninja, but very quick for these dogs, whose minds were only set in bitting things off...

The blade of the polearm came down once more, nearly hitting it's target this time. Kankuro barely dodged. And he was getting fatigued, dodging all this time non-stop. Things looked bad...

His companion unfortunately could not fight alongside him much, for he had to keep the Guardian Jutsu up if they wanted to have their minds and... legs, safe from these dogs.

Kankuro, was on his own here.

"Enough!" he flexed his fingers and his puppet was immediately brought into motion, getting in a battle stance as blue strings of chakra connected it to it's master. The palms of the wooden, yet strong and much enduring puppet opened as venomous daggers and needles flied towards the enormous demon...

XxxxX

Now where was it? Ah, here. Yes...

A giant mace hit the wall of Suna, taking a big chunk of it away and closing one of the paths the demons used. The Shinobi that protected the passage looked in awe, fear, insecurity at the faceless knight, yet kept themselves ready for battle.

He would grin evilly, he would grin like a maniac, if he had a face that is. Poor fools... they were so lucky that he was restrained... well, another day maybe. But no, he wouldn't go away, without having a little fun...

A malicious, powerful, evil laughter erupted from his faceless helmet as he flied with his horse away in the sky, the terror on their faces bringing joy in his tainted heart...

XxxxX

Gaara closed himself in his sphere once more. He was panting, heavily. Things were bad... he was getting fatigued, his chakra wavering. And these things just kept coming! Just how many where they? He was despaired. He had enough power now to hold up his defense, but he could not go like this again. He had no chakra to reform the defense completely, and they would brake in, and utterly kill him.

He was hopeless...

And it was then, that he heard something hard, something metallic hitting the Gargoyles... hard. He could hear these monsters screeching outside of his ball, frightened from something. What was going on...?

The monsters had stopped attacking him. But what had held back their assault? His question was answered, as the same metal that drove the Gargoyles back, took down a good chunk of his shield, revealing it to be a mace... a giant mace.

But what surprised him most, was the faceless void that occupied the area where the face should be...

The helmet tilted to the side, seemingly curious "Sabaku no Gaara?" it asked, it's voice shoft, yet forlorn, a sound coming from worlds beyond. Gaara could only nod.

The knight now motioned him with his head to the earth "Get out of here" and with that, he galloped away. Wait...

His eyes widened again, as he realized that the knight was mounting a horse... in the air...

XxxxX

One could say Temari was person you could easily anger. A certain Nara in the village of Konoha could easily verify that.

And here she stood, panting, her grip on her fan lessened as tiredness started taking its tall. This dogs just kept coming...

She had used up a lot of chakra for her massive wind attacks, and now she was losing ground as they had lost even one more companion from their group. Three of them in number, they had little choice but to stand and fight to the death.

Temari chuckled in the idea. She had always dreamed her death to be in a battlefield, against enemy ninja, protecting her home... but these things were no ninja. She would bet that they could barely think, since it seemed that the only thing they were superior in was numbers.

A swing of her enormous fan was enough to smash even one more of these Hellhounds in the wall of a building to her left. Making a whirl to the right, she hit two more, smashing the first into the other, making both of them fly to the sky. They were dead long before they hit the ground...

"Impressive, young lady" said a mysterious, somehow happy voice. Looking around, none of her allies were the ones that spoke. Instead, they themselves looked around for the source of these words.

"Up here" it said once more, seemingly enjoying this. All heads went up, as they saw a rider on his skeletal horse galloping above their heads, a giant mace in his one hand as he controlled the steed with the other, griping the rains tight.

All eyes were wide as they watched the knight chuckle, pleased with himself or something. He touched the ground smoothly, as if landing a flying horse was the most natural thing in the world for him. He looked at Temari, and she was sure that if he had a face, a wide grin would now grace it. She didn't quite know why she thought that though yet...

"Leave, I'll take care of things here" he said as he turned to face the incoming hordes of hellhounds. His voice was more serious, as if he put effort in trying to make it commanding. Nevertheless, the last thing Temari wanted to do right now, was to ponder on such trivial things.

Motioning to her companions, they all nodded and left the area, Temari giving one last glance at the faceless knight, who's mace had already began reigning terror across these demons...

XxxxX

Things were bad... this demon seemed immune to all his poisons. No wonder, this thing was as big, or bigger, as the Kazekage tower. No wonder that poisons designed to kill humans ten times smaller, weren't enough to kill this.

But he would not give up, no matter how tough the situation seemed. No, he would not fail his village...

He dodged even once more the deadly blade of the demon's pole, and his hands flied to his back, taking out one of the big scrolls he had tied there. He was ready to open it and reveal his defensive puppet, as defense was the only thing he could do until reinforcements arrived.

Yet his sight caught in the last moment, a shadow coming from behind the giant, something flying at an enormous speed towards them. It was dark... he could barely see what it was, but the fires from the structures let him make out the figure of a horse...

Wait, a horse?! And it flied? Ok, now he had seen everything. Oh, wait, he had yet to see pink elephants, though getting smashed with a ton of beers would be the trick...

_'Argh... focus Kankuro!'_ but he was too late as his thoughts concentrated. The blade of the demon was coming down... for him...

He couldn't dodge, he didn't have the time. Wasn't he supposed to see his life passing before his eyes now? Come on, it was a once-in-a-life-time experience. Were was the cinema-like features? Damn, he had forgotten to take popcorn... or a lemonade.

But the blade kept coming, his life had yet to be seen...

He closed his eyes, hoping he could at least spare himself the pain... whatever, he was supposed to die immediately anyway...

Though all he heard, was the loud clash of metal...

XxxxX

Sabaku no Gaara, not being used in surprises, let himself touch the safe ground smoothly, though he tripped a little when the cloud of sand vanished, letting him touch the earth. He was tired... the battle was tough, he had spent a lot of his chakra in the skies, and now he had to find Sahana. She must had already taken refuge somewhere... damn, it would be a headache to look for her through the shelters...

He looked sadly around him, a few fires still burning, corpses of civilians and ninjas alike littering the area. Not many, but nevertheless, they were his people. The attack had come so quickly, so out of nowhere, that they were taken by pure surprise. And this storm...

His head perked up, to the sky. Endless waves of sand seemed to have replaced the clouds of the night, yet the blazing boulders that seemed to rain before had now stopped. Probably work of those knights...

Someone dropped from high next to him, a crouching position he was in. He turned quickly by reflex, yet he realized the man posed no threat.

"Aw man. This enormous things really give you a headache. Thank god that faceless 'thing' appeared" said the man as he stretched, tiredness emanating from him. Gaara raised an eyebrow

"Faceless... 'thing', Kankuro?" the question seemed more rhetorical, as he already knew the answer. No sooner than he started contemplating on it, another person dropped behind him.

"Are you okay, Kankuro, Gaara?" Both men turned to look at the feminine, yet seemingly commanding voice. "We're alright, Temari. How goes the western front?" the leader of Sunagakure asked before his older brother could say a word. Temari only shrugged "No idea. Some kind of, faceless knight in shining armor came to the rescue. He just told us to leave. And if the screeches are good measure..." she cocked her head towards the direction she came from. Distant screeches and what people could describe as yelps of pain could be heard.

"His doing a pretty good job" she said, grinning back at them.

Gaara though, had his doubts. How would, three in number right now, knights come out of nowhere and save Suna? And why?

"Kazekage-sama!!" yelled a Jounin as he dropped to a knee when he reached Gaara "Kazekage-sama, something like an armored shinobi with no face is fending of the demons! It's a miracle!" his tone was exasperated, elated even. But Gaara's expression only grew more concerned.

Four of them...

A malicious, mighty laughter from behind made all of them turn, a chill cold as death filling their senses at the sight...

XxxxX

This thing... seemed limitless... just how the hell could someone concentrate such an amount of sand in one dessert? This could be listed as, 'Uzumaki Naruto's questions about life'. He had others, like, 'Why does ramen take so long to boil?' or 'How the hell Ero-sennin became a ninja'. He had asked many about the later, and most, like Tsunade, had laughed, others like Hinata, could giggle. Yes, such were the differences between girls, and that's why he could never understand them.

Although, Hinata's personality was that, something else. Unlike the other women that graced the universe of his life, Tenten, Ino, Sakura, Tsunade, Shizune. Hinata was calmer, always sweet and gentle, never agitated at a foolish antic he would pull off and always enjoyable for company. Hell, she would even sit and listen to his stories! Plenty of other people could always sleep or interrupt him all the time. But she was there, listening, caring. Actually caring...

She was a calming presence. A peaceful lake in this troubled forest that he called life. And he wanted to swim in that lake, drink from it's waters, let himself be free, free of cares, free of yelling everywhere around him in order to get someones attention. There, in that lake of peace, he felt calm, he felt whole. He didn't had to strive for the waters of this lake, as they were given to him so freely.

It was as if, life was so easier there, so quiet, yet so meaningful. Her voice was the soft chirping of the birds that flied around the lake, her kindness was the water that was given so freely to anyone, her eyes were the animals that graced the land. Eyes that showed him that even when everyone could hate him, even when everyone would scorn and look away from his form, she would be there, she would still look at him, she would still be his friend.

And that, counted as everything for him. Counted the world. And that's why, he would not let that lake go dry. He would not let this sun ray seize to light his troubled soul. He would not fail...

But things were getting tough. He had lost Sakura and Sasuke, and had nearly no idea where they were going. They had left the rocky valley around half an hour ago. And now, they were walking through the dessert, to places unknown.

Without the Sharingan to guide the way, without the Byakugan to give directions, one could say that they were lost, in this endless sea of ever ending sand.

The wind shifted, letting them know that it would get cold soon. He looked at his side, the girl seemingly drown to herself, pondering on something. Damn him, damn this Kyuubi! He wished that bastard would just somehow rip itself out of him. He could as well kill himself and rid the world of such a furry trouble. But no, he would not make it that easy. No, he would not let his life get wasted like that, he would not let his friends grieve his loss.

He would survive, and with him, so would they. The fox, would not win.

XxxxX

But as they both walked through the morning sun, each individual has other thoughts, troubled ones that is.

_" 'Yes... give in... just give in... let it take you away... let all the pain fade...' no... I can't give up... I won't give up... I promised I will get through this... it's my... nindo 'You won't step over your nindo! You will still live, my child. You will live, and reign terror on my behalf. Come on, I can promise that it will be... glorious' No! I can't... I won't..." _Her troubled mind fought to keep dominance. That distant, deep voice was constantly trying to take over, make her fall to it's hands, to it's offers. But such was the work of the devil. He never offered something you would dislike, would he?

But when it came to the cost, he would be merciless. And she would not fall, no, she would let this demon destroy everything she held dear. Naruto was keeping him at bay all these years, couldn't she hold out for just a day?

Gaara was partially wrong. Kyuubi wouldn't kill her with it's chakra, as such a savage beast would do. He had forgotten that Kyuubi was also a demon, a cunning and evil one that is. He was trying to take her by his side, make her a bridge for him to cross, and come out to the world once more. With no seal holding him back, he would take over. The only resistance, her troubled mind.

No, she would not give in. She knew that if... 'it' took over, she could seriously harm, or even kill, everything she loved. Everything she ever loved. And one of these things was walking next to her. She imagined herself... claws... bloodied... red eyes... a malicious grin... his body dead and bloodied, his face pale, the chill of death having taken it's hold.

Believe it or not, this thoughts were the ones that kept her in line. These mental images were enough to boost her defenses, to boost her motivation. For her heart ached... with every second that she thought of these things, her heart ached, for what she could do if it was let loose, for what she could do if she lost command.

It was painful, it was... torturing, but she would endure. For she would never forgive herself, she would never be free if she knew that she let it free, and allowed it to do what it wanted. No...

She would prevail...

XxxxX

Ahh, they were nearing. Most excellent, he expected them to take a little longer, being in such a large dessert and all. But it seemed like this brat was lucky, it had picked the right path. Good... very good... all was going according to plan...

No, he had slightly changed his mind. These two were the perfect lure. The jailor was quite sensitive about his friends. He had brought him exactly what he wanted.

Lucky kid. That's what it was. A really, really lucky kid. He had found a way to make it painful to that monster inside him... he had found a way to make it a true, outstanding torture. Without having to kill the boy in the process, or torture his friends to no end.

He would surely enjoy the torture, but he preferred not to waste time on things unnecessary. It would take too long to really brake the kid, or bring it down in order to torture it later for that matter. He had little time in his hands...

The faster he took his revenge, the faster he would move on, to the next target...

And... if he was lucky, these kids could even prove useful in the future. He felt a little sad about losing so much torturing fun, but it was for the greater good... now if it was his own greater good, or of the world's, he did not really know, neither did he care.

The forest was quite thick, only one passage leading to the other side. And it was rumored, that if you left that passage, you would never return... at least alive.

And the kid was nearing... it was very close... oh this would be fun...

XxxxX

This was so boring... why did he really have to search around? Couldn't the enemy just pop out of nowhere? Why did they choose to do that only at the worst time? But... they wouldn't be evil if they did something as good as to be where you want them, when you want them, right?

That's why when he looked at the forest that popped out of nowhere, and that the figure that stood amidst the path, his jaw dropped, his eyes went wide, and he hoped that Hinata hadn't feinted...

XxxxX

In the middle of the path, stood the dark warrior. The swordsman. His black blade in his hand, the outline glinting with a chilly blue, the chill of death. His face was impassive, his light blue eyes giving no emotion away.

Naruto neared, carefully, almost hesitating. Hinata at his side, she was preparing for the worst. She couldn't use chakra for it would just accelerate the influence of Kyuubi's in her own, thus making it harder for her to keep her mind. So her Jyuuken was useless...

The fight would most likely hang in Naruto's hands...

XxxxX

"Teme! Where's Sakura and Sasuke?!" as expected, the blond went straight to the point as he raised his fist, anger emanating from his eyes as he pierced with them through the man. Yet he didn't even flinch, didn't respond with even a single move of his eyebrow.

"I see you've come... good" he said, his soft tone agitating. Naruto didn't like people who played cool, people who thought him as inferior, people who underestimated him. And such people usually had their face stuck in the dirt from a nice, blue and swirling Rasengan...

"I asked you something..." Naruto repeated, his voice a little calmer now. He had to keep his chill. The past had taught him not to charge straight in against such opponents.

"The only way you can get to them, is through me..." his voice remained soft, a little melodic even. A sad melody, a touching one.

"And to get through me..." his voice became a little colder, a little more murderous as he brought his blade into the ground, fixing his gloves as it rested before him.

"One of you must die..." that smirk... that so wrong smirk was once again on that pale face. Naruto wanted to look away, but his heart, his soul kept staring angrily at the captor of his best friends. No, he would not relent, he would not let him have even this small victory. But...

_'One of you... does he mean either me or Hinata-chan? Teme...'_ the last word nearly went out of his mouth, yet he reduced to a growl.

"So prepare, young one" he said as he gripped his blade and drew it out of the ground, it's tip pointing at the blond.

"For this, will be..." that smirk was even more intense now, almost looked sadistic. "Painful" and it didn't take more than a second for him to be off...

XxxxX

"Boy, boy, boy. Sabaku no Gaara and his siblings!" said the faceless knight as he watched over them, his flying horse towering above their forms. His voice was strong and commanding, yet it seemed like it came out of nowhere. The voice of the void.

"Why, would one like you, care to save a ninja village?" Gaara would put an honorific or something in if he at least had some kind of identity for this man. Or knight. Or 'mysterious-scary-armored-freak' as Kankuro had put it.

"Lucky you, our master had sent us here to do these demon's job. Yet it seems he changed his mind. You see, we and our master hold no love for these demons..." the words were nearly spat from the horseman, and his face would surely have been twisted in one of anger if he had one that is.

"We, will take our leave as soon as we are finished here. I'll just let you know, that if you ever side with them, Sabaku no Gaara, Kazekage of Suna, you will face his wrath. And believe me, you don't want that." the knight was serious, straight dead serious as he spoke. The man galloped away in the sky, and in a few seconds, he was gone.

It looked like these horsemen and their master despised demons... wait...

Gaara's eyes went wide. This could be really bad... for he knew someone who had a demon in him... someone that right now traveled through the dessert of the land of winds.

He turned around, north, and looked up at the sky. It was beginning to clear, the sand storm slowly passing away, giving the light of the morning sun to wash down on them, bathing them in it's glory, the glory of victory, the dawn of a new day. But Gaara was concerned...

"Uzumaki Naruto..." he whispered, hoping that this new day, this morning, this light...

Would bring a new dawn...

For everyone.

XxxxX

**A/N: And finally, that's how chapter 6 is done. And no worries, I won't change it again. Tell you the truth, I am far more satisfied from how this one came out. I believe that I can look back at this chapter, and know that I made something good here.**

**So, a few questions I have for my dear readers. I strive to improve myself as an author, and the only way to do that, is by learning by my mistakes. So here comes your part, the part of the reviewer. Reviews saying just 'Cool story' or 'I like it' will not help much. I need something more, like your opinion perhaps?**

**Let me know what you like and dislike in this story, let me know which you think are the strong points of it and which are the weak. For example, you think Romance-Adventure-Drama or something else needs to be worked on? **

**By all means, I will take all critic happily. Bashing critic won't be accepted, as it is different to point out a mistake and help the author fix it, and it's another thing to yell at him for that. Believe me, I've seen lower quality stories take such hits. 'Flames' they call it, I think?**

**That's all for now my friends. Till next time, till we continue our journey Towards The Heaven...**

**Stay cool**

**Yours  
HoNdeR All Mighty  
**


	7. Chapter 7: A New Dawn

**A/N: Phew, HoNdeR All Mighty ready to roll! I just happen to have also began a new fic, which I'm going to pay a little attention to for the time being. I need to find a way to keep both Towards The Heaven and Assassin's Creed up and running... oh well. Here's the next chapter, with a lot more of... everything ^^Hope you like it**

**Let's continue our path...  
**

_**Towards The Heaven**_

_**The Travel**_

_**Day 5**_

_**Chapter7: A New Dawn**_

The hallway seemed cold, uninviting. The very walls were a warning for anyone who would have the courage, or foolishness, to press forward through the darkness. Screams, noises of terror, fear, agony, echoed on the walls, they the only witnesses of what horrors lied beyond them. And at the end of this long hallway, down many crossroads, doors and hidden paths, revealed an iron door. The door that whoever knew what lied behind, held inside the incarnation of evil, the master of treachery, the lord of horrors.

The Snake Sannin.

Orochimaru

XxxxX

He used one finger to bring his glasses to their place. They kept falling all the time, maybe he would have to change them sometime. His work was piled up in front of him, the light of a single candle the only company he had in his otherwise empty room.

The stacks of papers and books towered around him. His pen moved fast, not a single mistake let free by his eyes. He had to do this right… it had to be done right. Otherwise he would be dead. And he knew that his master would find plenty of ways to make it horrible. He was creative, after all.

Sounds echoed through the walls. His lips formed a smile, the smile of satisfaction. He loved these noises, for they were the proof that his work was not going to waste. These noises could make his day…

He stopped writing for a second, stopped in order to savor this sounds, savor this feeling. But sadly he would regret it. That second, that one second that the noise of his pen writing on paper seized to exist, he heard footsteps. He knew this footsteps, he had heard them so many times…

And he hated them. For they were 'his' footsteps

He had come again. He had come many times, and it was never for good.

But he did not let his mind drift away, he did not let fear take hold. Instead, as a sigh escaped him, he returned to his work…

XxxxX

The iron door slowly opened, a cracking, heavy metallic noise it made as it went its way to visit the wall. The figure, the man that opened it, was dressed in a black coat. His eyes were not visible under the black hood, but he knew that the man at the other end of the room wouldn't hesitate to take any course of action, aggressive in physical or mental way either. The eyes were windows to the soul, and his was not one to be read.

Of course, the Sannin was strong, he could attack in high hopes to defeat him.

Sannins could be stupid at times…

He hoped Orochimaru wouldn't make such a mistake here, for first, they had work to do, and second, it would be too fast. Too fast for him to even enjoy…

"You've come again… I see" said a voice, a dark, malefic and maybe a little snake like, voice. Most people could easily get the chills, run for their lives and bury themselves six feet under the ground. But not him. He had witnessed things far worse whatsoever…

"Indeed. I'm glad your brain can still work that fast" the mocking words didn't seem to touch the white skinned man. Instead, he only chuckled, a strange, forlorn chuckle that was. "Always trying to amuse me eh? I'm glad to have such people in my service" his voice sounded serious, as if he meant every word. He smirked, the darkness of the room and his hood combined making it difficult for anyone to see the expression. He really hoped that it would be him to slit this guy's throat when the time came…

"Orochimaru" his voice now, came commanding, demanding and strong, instead of the mocking tone it previously possessed. The Sannin though didn't seem to mind. Much.

"You failed. The armies we lent you failed to take over a simple ninja village" his tone became angrier. How could they do such a mistake, to trust the demonic army in the hands of a mortal, who hoped that through a foolish body-taking jutsu he would achieve immortality?

"But you are lucky. Our leader still seems to have some faith in you. Since the army didn't find any trace of the two designated targets, you'll have to search somewhere else. We heard they headed north…" he was at least satisfied that this man had enough intelligence to keep quiet and listen…

"You already know your first targets, but now you will have something more in your hands" he reached inside his robe and tossed a picture at the Sannin, who caught it in mid air the moment it was ready to reach his face. All this without letting his eyes leave the messenger even for a second. But he averted them, taking a look at the picture which was illuminated by the slight light the torches above his throne gave. It was a man with long, straight white hair and blue eyes that matched a cloudless sky. His skin was pale and the armor he wore seemed rather heavy for a ninja.

"You are to kill this one, as soon as possible. The others we would like to stay alive. Do not fail us Orochimaru, for you'll wish that you hadn't." the messenger threatened once more, his voice serious and commanding, yet kept low. Said long haired man turned to look at the black-clad one once more.

"And what's his name?" he asked, rather wanting to know who he was going to kill, rather than really interested.

The hooded figure could only smirk…

XxxxX

"Come on! Let it out! Let the rage take over!" He yelled, the sound of his voice the sound of blood thirst, of battle, the sound of a tortured soul that sought redemption. And he would have it…

Naruto barely dodged the heavy sword as he bent his waist backwards, avoiding the strike yet nearly losing balance. Letting himself fall, he flipped away with his hands supporting him as his feet for a second.

'_Damn it, damn it, damn it! He's too strong, I can't even touch him! Not with that armor, and certainly not with Rasengan… it's hopeless…' _the fear, the anxiety, they were all taking their tall over him. He had to win, if he would lose here, then he would lose his life, his friends would lose their lives. And they did not deserve that.

His armor would absorb the Rasengan, the steel would easily repel his physical attacks, and his Onitate (Demon Shield) could easily repel any jutsu. His swordsmanship was far beyond his reach, his kunai was useless. It would all be over…

A heartbeat, that's all he heard, before the blade came thrusting, came striking, piercing his chest…

A scream… it was her… even her scream seemed delicate… he saw her… running towards them… his mind drifted off…

'_I'm… sorry…'_ his eyes were shutting, his life was wavering. Her eyes, those lavender pools, was the last thing he saw, and he would wish for no more…

'_Hinata-chan…'_

XxxxX

Perfect… first he had to deal with a ton of paper work for his studies on anatomy and how to create new mutations, and now he had to lead this battalion of Hellhounds, Gargoyles and this… 'big-goat-demon' in a search-and-destroy mission. His master sure wasn't one to place easy things on his subordinates…

According to their information, the ones they sought shouldn't be far from here…

A scream. His ears immediately caught it, his eyes darted to its direction and his face bore an enormous grin. He looked up, on the enormous demon and nodded at the one who rode him. He responded, having heard the scream too.

And the battalion moved forth, to the outskirts of a forest. An old, forgotten forest…

XxxxX

"Did you feel that?" he asked, his serious, old yet kind voice echoing through the dark room. "Feel what, sensei?" asked the other man who was also dressed in a white robe, his voice betraying a much younger age.

The old man sat up from his cross-legged position. He was still young, he wouldn't expect him to feel it, not here, not so soon. He sighed.

"It seems it's time for us to take some action. It looks far more serious than usual" the older man said, his eyes not visible under his white hood, yet his bearded smile could not be hidden.

The young man smiled himself as he sat up too. "Divine intervention eh?" he said. The old man chuckled and then sighed, a happy sigh. He smiled at the other man once more

"Maybe. Now let's go, the boy doesn't have much time…" and the old man disappeared.

The young one sighed as his smile dropped "Once again it's up to the elves… oh well" and he too disappeared, the destination unknown.

XxxxX

"Where… where am I?" his words seemed to echo in the endless darkness. The floor of what he thought as his current mindscape was wet, shallow water everywhere. He heard a dark chuckle, a chuckle that he knew all too well, despite having heard it only a few times.

He turned around, and the darkness disappeared in a second, as it was replaced by a dim lighted room. Large iron bars towered before him, a piece of paper with the kanji of 'seal' in the middle column. He sighed. "Here again…?"

Two large red eyes looked at him from above.

"**Things out there are about to get exciting… I can't let you die now, can I?" **he chuckled, that dark chuckle once more echoing through the otherwise empty room.

"Shut up! I won't die!" the blond yelled stubbornly. **"Really?"** the Kyuubi retorted, and a flash snapped in front of the teen. The swordsman… his blade embedded in his chest… he was bleeding badly… that girl… running towards him… her eyes full of tears… no…

He didn't want to see this. No, he didn't want to see her cry. No, he would not let anyone make her cry!

"Alright… you stupid demon…" he muttered, not quite sure that it was the right choice.

He was sure that if this was the real world, Kyuubi's laughter would have been heard for miles…

XxxxX

He would see it. Yes… it was out! Perfect, everything went according to plan. He withdrew his sword…

The wound closed up… slowly, but it closed up and in the end, it was as if he had never even scratched it. The girl was still running towards them though…

He turned to her and his angry gaze would have been enough to intimidate anyone. But she was not 'anyone'. And he knew it, he needed something more here, if his plan was going to work…

"Stay back! His turning, he will kill you!" he couldn't let her die, no this would make it far harder for him too in the future. He had plans for that boy… oh he had big plans.

But did she listen? Of course not. Foolish children, thinking their love can beat it all etcetera. Before she would come any closer, he only extended one hand, blocking her way and grasping her tight. She strived to move, she strived to release herself. But to no avail, he was physically stronger by far.

"No…" he whispered. This was bad… she had Kyuubi's chakra in her… this could be really bad…

He pushed her away, throwing her a good few meters away from the battle. He turned towards Naruto. His fingernails were now claws, his hair were spikier. Three tails were swinging behind him...

He had to hurry. There was no time to waste here. He embed his sword to the ground in front of him and turned to the girl once more, who was trying to get up and start her efforts yet again.

His hands flied through seals… "Kageton: Kage Engai (Shadow Technique: Shadow Dome)!"

A dome of darkness started materializing around her. Before she could even take a step forward, it had engulfed her…

Good. Now she would stay out of this and be protected in the whole. The Shadow Dome could not fail unless he was killed, or he dismissed it. He turned his attention back to the now preparing to sprout a fourth tail Naruto…

XxxxX

Yes. He could see them. He could swear he could even smell it. Indeed… the smell of victory was glorious…

"Meimeiton: Tenrai Tomoshibi (Divine Release: Divine Light)!" the whole battalion was blinded by an astounding light. Kabuto closed his eyes and brought his hand over them, for the light was too bright, it was too bright for the darkness of his soul to even endure. He could hear the Hellhounds crying like lost puppies, the gargoyles screeching in fear and annoyance, the large demon growling loudly. It was as if this strange technique was made just for this reason…

To fight demons.

XxxxX

No… this light… from where did it come from? He didn't expect this…

When the light subsided, he was glad to see that the demon he faced was also weakened. Good, the fourth tail had stopped growing, but the angry, blazing sight of these red eyes was set right on him, the intent to kill visible in every way.

This was Naruto… this was what he held inside him… no, this was Kyuubi no Yoko. The lord of demons. No wonder they had sent a task force to take the boy. Now he could see…

The attack on Suna. No, it wasn't a pointless strike with the intent of destruction being the only motivation. They wanted the boy, but they had miscalculated. If his own calculations were correct, they had missed him by one day, only because something had happened with the lavender eyed girl. It should probably have to be the girl… indeed, why else would they search for the Violet Tower? He let himself smirk as his fingers, his hands, formed hand seals, one after the other…

XxxxX

"Where are you going young man? Don't you know that it is rude to interrupt?" an old, seemingly wise voice said through the light. Kabuto strived to open his eyes, to see, to know. But to no avail, the light was too strong. Yet it subsided, it faded away, letting only the normal light of the sun take its place. He angrily looked at the one who dared interrupt him…

A vicious, enormous grin found its way on his face. It was just an old man in white robes… oh this would be fun. A blinding jutsu couldn't set him back, no matter what flashy name or appearance it had.

His white robes shifted with the wind, his figure stayed still, his eyes under the hood where set to their solemn purpose. Yet that kind smile, the smile that graced his bearded face most of the time was there, it was still there. A welcome to anyone who had the right mind and heart to accept it.

But Kabuto was not one of the spiritual world. His own grin was that of someone who thought that he had already won a long term battle, the grin of one that he believed himself to be all powerful.

And why shouldn't it be? He had a battalion of demons, his own strength and plus one sound jounin against just an old man. This would be a piece of cake…

"Kill him" and both hounds and gargoyles charged forward, their combined barks and screeches a terrifying noise for any common soul that could be unlucky enough to hear them..

Only a mound of sand separated him from the swordsman's battle, from the forgotten forest. And he would not let them pass it…

The old man only smiled as the demons came in range…

XxxxX

This was it… the moment had come… it was here… he felt anxious, he felt adrenaline coursing through his body as he prepared to finish the Jutsu. The Kyuubi was about to attack and probably kill him. The armor would most likely hold most of the damage, but there would be no other chance for him to perform such a jutsu. He had to do it now, and he had to do it right.

That smirk, that wrong smirk was there once more…

"Makaiton! Gokuin no Baida! (Hell Release: Seal of the Binder)" he yelled, his voice fierce, strong, determined. He would end it, he would end it now. He kneeled and grabbed his blade from the hilt, channeling power through it, channeling power to feed this seal. For he could not fail, no, failure was not an option.

A large circle was formed around the area that his blade was embed. Several glyphs and runes started appearing around yet inside the circle, forming in such a way that if someone saw it from above, it would look like a precise and delicately hand made symbol.

Kyuubi growled as the symbols took place around it. It's eyes were set on their target, but no longer as he prepared to launch towards him, did he realize that he was rooted in place. He just could not move…

It was the first time he was using it. He had near to no idea of what could happen. It was supposed to draw out the demon, and vulnerable as he would be, it was supposed to be a piece of cake for him to use a jutsu, and finish the menace once and for all, or torture it for as long as he wishes. It all sounded so easy…

Too bad reality can be far more cruel sometimes…

XxxxX

"Meimeiton: Tenrai Toku (Divine Release: Divine Aegis)" Kabuto saw the man using only a one handed seal, and no longer than he did that, that he was engulfed in a golden shield, repelling the demons with tremendous ease. But the beasts were relentless. Their attacks came again and again, only to be repelled by the bulwark of light.

Of course, nor the demons nor Kabuto could see the smile that seemed to be somehow imprinted on the man's face as he sat inside his shield, slowly and with care making hand seals, preparing his next Jutsu while still keeping his chakra focused enough to keep the shield up.

"If you please…" he said as he kept on with his seals. It seemed like a rather long set.

"Of course" responded a voice out of nowhere, seemingly young and full of power…

XxxxX

This was getting nowhere, the shield seemed impenetrable. No matter what the demons did, they could not brake in. Maybe if he just…

His eyesight caught something gleaming in the sky. He looked up, the light of the sun not letting his sight catch much. A dark figure could be seen falling, falling fast. In a few seconds, he could see white robes, quite similar to the ones the man in the shield wore. His eyes widened as he spotted two twin Katanas…

"Tsuiraku Tenshi (Falling Angel)!" yelled the man as he started swirling, his blades a whirlwind as he crashed on the demons, shredding them to pieces. And so suddenly all of it was over…

Only a few of the Hellhounds remained alive and two or three gargoyles screeched as they flied around. The man stopped his whirlwind, stopping with his legs spread wide and one of his blades before him while the other at his back. It looked as if he was ready to slice you in half, dare you approach that is.

"Time to play" he said as he looked up at Kabuto, a smile gracing his face, his slight golden beard glimmering in the sun as his grey eyes bore into Kabuto's. They were rather strange eyes, not the 'usual' grey of the Hyuuga's. These ones had pupils, the grey color was deeper, like normal eyes. And they glimmered. They shone with light...

"Tenshi Moui (Angel's Fury)" he whispered as he started slashing with his swords and moving forward, his hands and blades a blur of motion as each demon fell to pieces as he passed. It seemed like an eternity, but in the end, Orochimaru's most trusted servant decided that it was just seconds in the least, before the man stood right before him, his own eyes behind the glasses being wide in surprise… and fear.

His white cloak shifted with the stopping motion, the golden lines of his robe shone in the sunlight, his grin was wider than ever, his grey eyes shone with that same light…

"Shoukin (Redemption)" he whispered, his lips moving slowly, his eyes never leaving Kabuto's, said man being paralyzed at the swiftness of his opponent. The blades thrust into the medic-nin, piercing his stomach and chest. Kabuto could feel blood, blood rising up his neck and dripping out of his mouth, slowly. He felt his life fading away, he felt his powers leaving him. He was defeated… so easily. Who where this guys…? Just who where they…?

And what made it worst… he had so many experiments left… what a shame…

But he smirked. He could not let it go so easily…

The smile vanished from the white robed man, as he felt his lungs burning…

And finally, time seemed to return to its normal pace, as the pieces of the previously slaughtered Hellhounds finally touched the ground…

XxxxX

He held tight. He held on his sword tight. It was becoming hard… yet he already knew it would be like this… sealing the lord of demons was one thing… destroying him was another.

But he was doing it. His plan was unfolding…

Yet his eyes opened wide… in fear, in joy, in insecurity, in surprise, and many other emotions that most could just not catch as they flew too quickly, in and out.

The red aura… that red, demonic aura was not subsiding… instead, it was turning…

White?

XxxxX

She coughed. What was happening? First, she was closed in this dome, not able to see a thing through the thick darkness. Her Byakuugan couldn't flare up and now, she felt weak.

It was burning… she knew what it was, it was the Kyuubi chakra inside her… it was burning, it was torturing… what was happening?

She looked at her hand in the darkness, she looked at it in vain hope of seeing it.

Yet her lavender eyes grew wide, as she saw it shining white…

XxxxX

"Well, time to finish it" the old man said as he sat up, his hands forming the last seal. It greatly resembled the kanji for 'Angel'…

The shield dropped and he himself could finally see the outside world more clearly. From the inside, the world looked like a swirl, as if you were looking at him through golden water. It was rather awkward till you got used to it…

He looked at the large demon, atop of him being what looked like a ninja, probably his commander. Such beasts were hard to control whatsoever…

But he smiled. He extended his hand, old but sure, strong and steady. He opened his palm and a large golden hammer started taking form…

He placed one foot back, taking position as if he was ready to throw something… in this case a golden hammer, seemingly made by light. One could easily mistake it for ethereal, like something that you could just pass your hand through without touching it…

The demon though, would very soon find out that this hammer was far from ethereal…

"Hanma no Kougi (Hammer of Justice)!" he shouted, and he threw the weapon with all his might towards the demon, hitting him square in the face…

It didn't take more than a second for time himself to register what had happened, that the demon was blown away, for whoever knows how far…

XxxxX

"Shie (Die)…" was the last thing he whispered, before letting death place his chilling grasp on him…

The white robed man took his blades from the corpse, the blood disappearing as the swords slightly glowed with light. He struggled to breath but he found it even more painful as with each breath, his lungs seemed to hurt even more. He fell to his knees, his strength giving away from such a fatal injury. He looked at his chest, yet he found no blood. The damage was internal…

He smiled to himself. How could he forget that he fought a medic-nin? Well this could be bad… he had to heal it soon, or he would die…

'_And because there's no time for dying, we gotta heal it quickly, don't we? Why do I keep speaking to myself in plural? Oh well…'_ he brought his hands in the 'Angel' seal and whispered something softly…

His hands glowed with power, with light. He touched his lungs and let it course through him, he let the light heal him, not just physically, but mentally as well. In short, he let it do its job.

He coughed a little, took a deep breath, and enjoyed the feeling of air feeling his being. Better than ever…

A hand rested on his shoulder, yet he didn't rush to see its owner. He already knew who it was… this weight, this feeling, it was the old man again. He had lost count of how many times he had put a supportive hand there. He had lost the count, but not the feeling.

"Everything okay?" he asked wisely. What was this in his tone…? Maybe mock? Yes, that was the right word the last time he checked the dictionary… but now that he thought about it, he hadn't ever read a dictionary whatsoever…

"Well, despite having had internal lung damage, I'm fine" he responded in the same tone, a smile finding its way on his young face. The old man behind him smiled too, glad to know that they both had made it out of this so easily. What was a battalion of demons anyway, rather than a bunch of mindless monsters? Indeed, an easy slice.

"Let's move. I think that he…" he shot a look behind them, beyond the mound of sand that separated this battle from the other. They could both see a white light gleaming, forceful, powerful. Something was going on… maybe the bad way

"Will need a hand, won't he?" he shot a smile once more to the younger man, who only nodded and stood up, he himself smiling.

And so on, they both dashed to the next battleground…

XxxxX

What the hell was going on? He had expected countless of possibilities, he had expected nearly anything to happen.

But not this…

Red… white… the two colors fought for dominance. And he could only watch, he could only watch as this battle of colors, of powers, fought between each other. He was losing focus on the sword and on the ritual…

And by doing so, the red power seemed to gain on the white one. All in all, Naruto was on his knees, swinging slightly from side to side, seemingly unaffected, even if these raging powers seemed to come out of him…

He immediately gripped his sword again, this time sending more chakra in the ritual, boosting the white power ten fold. It wasn't a smart way of thinking, but he couldn't come up with anything better right now. White was supposed to be a 'better' color than red, wasn't it?

Unbeknown to the swordsman, two white-clad men were also watching the scene unfold, not too far from him…

XxxxX

"Shouldn't we intervene?" asked the young one, a curious tone taking over his voice and… anxiety, perhaps? The older and seemingly wiser man could only smile

"I think we've done enough for today. Remember: Patience is the key to…" "Yeah, yeah, I know. You've told me the same thing more times than…" "… you can count on the lines of your robe?" the grey eyes of the young man under the hood could only incredulously look at his elder, who just bore that smile, the smile his face always seemed to wear. From their kneeling position, he rested his elbow on his knee and his head on his palm

"I hate you…" he whispered…

The old man just kept smiling as he averted his gaze to the ritual once more

"No you don't" for better or for worse, he missed the smile that had now also crept on the younger man's face…

XxxxX

The wind was fierce, it seemed as if it was dancing around the red and white lights, a wild and destructive dance that is. He could not keep up for much longer… the ritual itself took up a lot of chakra… he would not last for long… not if he kept empowering it like this…

That so wrong smirk… found its way on his pale face once more. The white chakra had overpowered the red…

It all seemed to be over, the battle, the wind, everything. It was as if nature herself stood at a standstill, awaiting the outcome that time would reveal.

The white power was now shining above the teen, still connected to him somehow. It circulated around him, it was as if it was… protecting him…

The green colored runes and symbols started retreating, reversing their way back to the sword. The circle himself had started fading, slowly dissipating into thin air. It only took a few seconds for the markings to be absorbed in the sword.

The ritual was over

Naruto collapsed to the ground, the white power residing inside him…

XxxxX

He stood up, dusting himself from the sand that the fierce winds had brought upon him. He fixed his gauntlets which now seemed somehow uncomfortable. His whole armor seemed uncomfortable after such fights…

Much better now. He preferred it when the leather underneath the steel didn't stick on his skin. The sweat was a little problem when you wore plate armor, after all.

He picked up his black blade, a faint purple aura around its edges. Raising it so the tip could look at the sky, he once more admired its craftsmanship, its weight, it dark and mysterious beauty as the so familiar purple outline seemed to dance around the edges. This weapon had accompanied him in so many battles…

He could feel them. Two figures approached, slowly, from the left. He only titled his head, taking in the picture of two men in white robes. He sighed… he was in no mood to battle them too now.

"Not really, we are not here for combat my friend." The old, and wiser one said. He sheeted his blade, though he kept his hand on it, just in case…

"Uhh… aren't we supposed to be against him?" the younger one said. He was prepared to draw his weapon once more. He still had enough fight in him to tear this young fool to pieces, that was for sure.

"Now, now, let's not be hasty. This lad helped a lot here, hasn't he? It would be a shame to…" the old man was cut off by an intimidating stare from the swordsman. He wasn't really intimidated, but he was polite enough to stop talking when his words weren't invited. To tell the truth, the swordsman had just boringly looked at them, his eyes a silent, if not a little rude plea, for them to shut up.

"I only help myself, old man. Don't interfere." He said as he approached the fallen teen. He kneeled beside Naruto's form. He was asleep, as it seemed. Good. Being dead would equal the word useless here.

"The ritual didn't go as expected, did it?" the old one asked once more. The swordsman just turned his head again to look at the elder.

"No" he simply stated before looking back at Naruto's sleeping form. He brought his hands in a seal… "Kai" he whispered.

The men in the white robes could feel the chakra release. Turning around, they saw the small shadow dome retreating, allowing a pale-lavender eyed girl to rush out, looking around for something. She looked terrified, her expression that of horror, as if she had lost the most precious thing in the world…

Her eyes immediately spotted him… it was as if her vision turned to a tunnel one. Her heart ached as she feared the worst…

He rubbed his grey-bearded chin. Surely, it had been a long time since he had seen someone run that fast…

XxxxX

What was going on? She could hear everything, she swore she could even feel it. She could hear the wind fiercely blowing outside the dome, the clashing of what sounded like air and something concrete all together.

She was scared to no end when she had seen her left hand glowing red, yet her right glowing white. She could feel it, the two colors were somehow battling for dominance, even within her. It wasn't painful. It was a rather, way too strange for her tastes feeling.

It was like two different seas, battling for dominance, their waters smoothly yet savagely altogether fighting to overcome one another.

It seemed like hours, ages that this battle reigned. Yet when it stopped, she couldn't really tell.

Shortly after, the dome dispersed, allowing the deem light of the afternoon sun seep in, bathing her in its orange glory. She was afraid… what had happened out there? What was going on? And above all

Where's Naruto?

XxxxX

The swordsman was surprised, amazed even. At one moment, the girl was there, and the other, she was clutching on the boy before him. And she hadn't used a sunshin…

She could make a very good assassin one day…

XxxxX

"Love can be a great motivation eh?" the old man commented, his wary eyes taking in the scene before them. Even under the hood. The younger one just hang his head.

"When I was her age, young and full of energy…" _'And so begins once more an endless rant of a youth filled with love, adventure, drama.'_ The young one thought as the elder seemed to be drawn in his own little world as his lips kept forming words, forming sentences and finally, forming a tale.

'_And so goes on and on…'_ at times like this, he really wished he could be somewhere else. Somewhere far away was in preference.

XxxxX

'_It can't be true… it can't be true…'_ as her mind drifted between words, between images, between horrors, soft sobs rose from her throat. No… she could not bare losing him now, she could not let the last light of her life fade away. What would she do? What would happen of her?

She was strong enough to beat a jounin to a pulp. She was strong enough to leave her home, leave her hell behind and follow the one she loved. She was strong enough to do things that most ninjas could only dream.

But she was not strong enough to lose him. She was not strong enough to bare this image in her mind. She was not strong enough to live on without his smile. She was not strong enough to be ready, ready to let go. No, not now and most likely, not ever.

XxxxX

He sighed. The boy was in bad condition. He was breathing, but his mortal body seemed to not be able to sustain such a battle. Even if it was seemingly between himself, this battle was furious. He doubted that even he would survive this. The ritual had gone wrong, in more ways than one. The boy hanged from a string, if only by his willpower alone. His condition was… not the best for the wear right now…

Now, how do you break such news to a girl, that is silently crying her heart out, clutching on said teen like a lifeline. Maybe he was, maybe he really was a lifeline for her after all…

'_Flashback'_

A young man… a dark forest… he sat in the middle of a clearing… the light of the moon… illuminating his outline in the darkness… he held something… he clutched on something that looked like a body… focusing in the night, you can hear soft sobs coming from him… he was in pain… he was in agony...

He was lost…

'_End Flashback'_

He blinked the memories away. This was not the time. No, not now.

"W…wh…what happened?" she asked between her sobs, her voice not above a whisper, for she could not raise it higher. She simply couldn't.

"Ritual gone bad" the swordsman answered plainly. The girl just seemed to sob harder…

The old man approached, his young apprentice behind him, scratching his ear after having heard just another tale of the old man's past. A tale he had heard more times that he could count on the lines of his…

Better leave it for another time.

XxxxX

He kneeled beside them, the two teens, the one clutching on the other's unconscious form. She was looking at his face, she was staring at his face, her eyes filled with pain. Tears made their way down her cheeks. He felt sad, he felt sorry… life could be cruel…

He brought his hands above the unconscious teen's head. They shone slightly with light as he seemed to concentrate, his head hang low.

"He… is alive." He said, trying to make his tone reassuring

"For now" he added, taking his hands back. It was strange… the Light couldn't really read the boy. It was as if something in it had changed…

Dramatically

XxxxX

'_He's alive… he's alive… do something… do something'_ she strived to speak, she forced her voice out of her throat. And the words came, even though she barely recognized her own voice, through the tears, through the pain

"Can't we do something? Can't… can't we save him?" she asked, her words pleading, her eyes begging, her tears falling. The old man only sighed in response. The young one just stood a few meters away, whispering something to himself.

"It looks like the ritual changed something… I'm not sure what. Judging from what I saw" he seemed to give a look at the swordsman before continuing "The Kyuubi plays a large part in it" he looked down at the boy once more, his expression one of slight pain, annoyance. The old man couldn't help but smile sadly. He knew that the teen was in pain. In great one, that is. And yet he could keep his face calm enough as to not worry the girl even more. And all this while being asleep.

"Something changed in Kyuubi with this ritual, thus changing him. They are bound together by the seal" he brought one hand above Naruto's navel and his hand shone once more. Now, both swordsman and girl could see a smile finding its way on the man's face "Which is no more"

The girl's eyes went wide as she took in the information. But, if the seal was gone, then what could keep Kyuubi back? What would hold it in?

"Tell me" the old man spoke once more, looking up at the swordsman, under his hood of course.

"Is this the first time you use the particular technique?" his tone was questioning, curious. The swordsman didn't even blink as his serious blue eyes gazed down upon the kneeled man.

"Yes" and the elder only nodded in response. He brought his hand to his chin as the lower half of his face that was exposed seemed to take an expression of deep thinking.

"It seems that this, 'Seal of the Binder' does more than meets the eye" he said and looked at the boy once more "What you did was not bind the Kyuubi in the outside world, thus making it vulnerable, but instead, you bound it to the boy. And because of the old seal, the Kyuubi and the boy are linked by soul, thus making the ritual affect both. If you had separated them, which was the intention, all would go well and you would do what torturing you had in mind or whatever" the gestures he made with his hands proved the experience of a narrator, someone who knew how to speak, how to inspire, how to teach "But now" his eyes averted from the orange sky down to the boy once more "You have, somehow, neutralized them"

The swordsman didn't even flinch an eyebrow, but a human with common sense wouldn't say the same for Hinata. Said girl wasn't that experienced in seals. It was a delicate matter that only a few ninjas in the world had mastered. The old man didn't need any hint to continue his explanation, as she was not the first, and most certainly not the last to have such curious thoughts.

"Simply put: Kyuubi is nor good, nor evil right now. His chakra is neutral. Which most likely means that it's useless. Getting into more detail would take too much of the already precious time we got. So all in all, both Kyuubi and the boy, are useless in ninja terms." He finished with a heavy sigh. He had learned some things about the boy. The Light had shown him much. Images of a past better left forgotten, images of a boy, a man, who strived to reach the top, when the grasping hands of doom battled to bring him down. He had seen the willpower, he had seen the strength. This man could one day achieve things that most humans could only see in fairy tales. But now… with no chakra to support his cause, he was powerless. A mare commoner. Even his taijutsu knowledge was meaningless against a ninja.

Unless…

His lips could only form a smile at the thought. It had been years… maybe now was the time, for a change.

XxxxX

The swordsman hang his head as he closed his eyes. There was a way for the boy to get his chakra back, to make it useable again. The white, or neutral chakra, he had now was useless, for it was weaker than normal. The only reason it overpowers Kyuubi's was because of the ritual, and of his aid.

He wasn't sure. This was one of the few times in his life that he could say that he wasn't sure. Things were going not as planned, not even in the tiniest. Yet again, when did life really allow you to get things done your own way?

If in this case, things went right, he could gain a powerful ally. Someone that could help him in his cause, someone who could help him rid the world of what he hated most. But it would be a dangerous path. The boy would most likely regain his chakra, if the girl beside him gave him some of her own. This could let his coils produce normal chakra once again. But Kyuubi's…

The trick was right here. The boy was strong on its own, but with Kyuubi's power, it was nearly unstoppable. And he would make sure that such an attribute would not go to waste…

XxxxX

All this talking, all this thinking, all this crying. All in all

It was boring. He had finally come out for some action, and now he had to deal with a probably heart jerking for most scene, with a boy that would now miss his dreams, plus the girl crying, plus his sensei trying to help, the dark mysterious and most likely intimidating warrior having nowhere to really stick, etcetera.

He looked behind him, hoping to see a hellhound or two coming out of nowhere. He just wanted to slice something…

XxxxX

"Well, my dear" the old man said, looking at the girl that still held on the teen. Her tears started to reside, to lessen. "Don't worry that much, he will most likely survive this _'Even though any other human would have died in a second, his still alive… amazing…'_" the girl only nodded in response at the man's comforting words. He smiled

"W…what about our friends?" she asked, remembering the loss of Sakura and Sasuke all day long. She turned to the swordsman. He only eyed her in response

"Alive" was the only thing he said, before returning in his thinking state, head hang low and eyes closed. She let a shaky sigh escape her. Things seemed to get better…

"It is getting dark, dear. I propose that you should find shelter soon, right?" the old man said, somehow managing to turn his phrase as to reveal curiosity.

"We… we where heading north… we… he… said that we had to look for something like… a Violet Tower?" she said, curious as she was as to how Naruto could have thought of such a strange place and name for her to be cured. The initial reason was her… wasn't it?

The man's expression grew serious. So serious, that even his apprentice backed away, if only a step. The swordsman lied emotionless, a statue that only breathed.

"Do you even know, what the Violet Tower is?" he asked, the kindness of his voice never fading, if only becoming a little more serious.

She shook her head in response. The old man sighed "The Violet Tower was once a place of meditation, of learning. But now…" he sighed once more, drawing a breath that was almost… shaky

"Now it is overrun with demons, with death, with monstrosities." He said, his head hang low, in shame, in fear, in pain. It was amazing what emotions the human body could reveal…

"It was about, a few months ago. The valley that lies beyond this… forest…" he pointed to the dark, gloomy forest behind them. Now that she noticed, it seemed far darker than before, the trees having a deathly coloration mix of grey and brown, the leafs a dark green color. It seemed as if death itself had laid a cloak of darkness over it…

"Was once filled with flowers, filled with life." He continued, his eyes under the hood gazing above the treetops, to the now setting sun, who seemed to be drank in, behind the blanket of endless trees…

"Now, all you can find are skeletons, dead and alive" the girl seemed lost for a moment, not really sure what the man meant by the word, 'alive'.

"The rocks that were once filled with life, with green plants growing on and around them, now are heralds of doom, perfect hideouts for anyone who could set an ambush to the common traveler." He continued, his voice getting slowly filled with pain

"If, the common traveler, makes it past the forest, that is" he added, giving one more glance at the dark forest beyond them.

The girl was unnerved, to say the least. Why would someone, something, tell Naruto to get her there?

"It is most likely that you had been tricked. The darkness…" he looked down at the boy "wants him…" he looked at her, his eyes gazing in her own lavender ones, under his hood. She didn't know why, but she could clearly feel his gaze, even though she couldn't see his eyes.

"They want you" he added. Her eyes widened in fear. In fear of her life, in fear of his life.

"We will take our leave now" he said as he stood up. Looking around, he took in the surroundings. Behind them, the mound of sand and the endless dessert. Before them, the dark forest, mountains barely visible at it's left and right corners. To their left was, what seemed to be a waterfall, which had now stopped to flow. It had stopped before ages, the river above it being sealed by rocks, turning it into a lake. Which was now, most likely, dried and gloomy, like the whole forest…

To their right, was nothing but the sand of the dessert, and the forest. There was little choice for these two as to where to go…

"But first, could you please free them?" he said as he looked at the swordsman, who got out of his trance, his blue eyes boringly looking at the old man. "Very well" he said as he took out two scrolls out of his pockets. Unrolling them to the ground, he began a set of hand seals…

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu" he plainly said as he slammed one hand on each scroll, a cloud of smoke overwhelming them. Seconds later, a frozen Sakura and a frozen Sasuke stood before their eyes. Hinata's eyes once more went wide…

"Katon: Hibashira (Blazing Column)" he said, his hands only having formed one seal. Two orange-red circles appeared under the frozen teens… they glowed and suddenly…

Fire consumed them.

And no longer that it did, it faded, leaving the bodies of her friends fall to the ground with a soft thud, breathing slowly, their color normal, as if nothing had happened… as if they had only fallen asleep.

"They will wake up in a minute or two" the swordsman said as he turned around, starting to walk away from the group

"Well, it is our time to leave too, my dear. I wish I could offer a safe place for you and your friends to spend the night, but unfortunately…" he sighed, a sad smile coming over his lips.

"We have our restrictions as well. Just remember, that, if you ever choose to enter that forest" he pointed a finger at the gloomy mass of trees behind them, an uninviting air surrounding them. "Do. Not. Leave. The path" he said, giving emphasis in every word. He had to. If they did such a mistake as to strain from the path, it would most likely be their doom…

"If you want to continue your journey towards that village" he had read their purpose in the boys heart. What a sad story, striving for something better yet coming to this…

"You better make haste. They are most likely under siege right now and would require any help they can get" he said with a smile, a reassuring smile that he hoped that would lift her spirits. He was right. She smiled back…

"Thank you" was all she whispered before looking back down at the now sleeping Naruto in her hands. They had nowhere else to go… they could always turn back to Suna, but you can't change your decision in the middle of the action, now can you? No, they had promised themselves that they would find something better, that they would find and live for it. And they don't go back on their words…

"That's your nindo…" the man whispered, though now he was already a good measure of meters away from the group of teens, a wide smile gracing his bearded face.

His apprentice was following swift, taking step beside his sensei and still boringly looking around

"I want you to go with them" the old man said and the young one stopped, his mouth hang open while his eyes went wide. "W-w-what?!" he almost screamed. His sensei had never allowed him to go around the corner alone, and now he wanted him to follow them?

"I thought that you would like such a proposal. Or should I…" he turned, his kind smile always there "take you back for some more meditation?" no longer than he spoke this words, did his apprentices eyes widen even more, and did he disappear, running towards the group of teens once more. The old man allowed himself to chuckle, his energetic student something he had to thank Him for.

He turned back, leaving the battlefields behind him, leaving the teens to follow their path…

As he disappeared in a flash of light, the now nearly gone sun reflected his own light, if only for a moment.

XxxxX

She heard footsteps, someone was running, towards them…

She raised her eyes, only to meet grey ones, filled with… light?

His eyes were a dull, grey color, yet somehow, they managed to shine with a forlorn light. Strange man…

"Hello" he said, waving a hand at her. His expression grew curious as she didn't respond.

"Ok, I know I'm too handsome for most women to stand, but can you at least answer?" he said, his voice betraying no mock, as if he believed every word. She shook her head as if to clear her mind "Sorry, it's just that your… eyes…" she said as she looked at him once more.

He started laughing… hard…

"Look whose talking!" and he kept laughing, striving to breath as he fell to the ground. Hinata was clearly taken by surprise, having not been critiqued about her eyes before, she had no idea how to retort... maybe a punch would do…

"Ok, beyond that" suddenly, before she could even register that he had stopped, he was once again standing and towering above them. He must have been as tall as Naruto was…

"I know, they seem to shine. But let's leave this for another time." He said as he extended one hand for her in greeting

"Name's Dankan" he said and she slowly gave him her own hand. They shook them, his grip firm yet gentle "I'm… Hyuuga Hinata" she said and looked down at the boy.

"Will… will he wake up?" she asked, in fear, in faith. She wanted him to wake up…

Dankan brought his hand to his chin, thinking for a moment. Then he snapped his fingers, a wide grin taking place on his young, yet manly face.

He brought one hand over Naruto's head and it shone with light, pretty much the same way the old man's had before. She only waited, that's all she could do right now anyway…

Yet Dankan only smiled as he turned to her

"Do you have any ramen?"

XxxxX

Another day, another demon. It was a dangerous stunt he tried to pull today, but it might just prove to be more of a benefit, if things went right. He kept walking through the forest, his feet never straining from the straight line that was the path. He could sense them… they were everywhere around him, yet they dared not approach. Not the path, nor him. He smirked to himself, remembering the last time they tried something funny…

Let's just say that the forest was filled with blood… and a lot, lot of corpses…

A small light shone next to him. He could feel 'them' backing even more away, trying to get deeper in the safety of the darkness, away from the light. He only titled his head to the right, were now walked next to him a man in white robes, his lips forming a smile, the smile he seemingly always bore.

"What do you want?" he said as he kept walking, his eyes returning to the path before them.

The old man didn't respond. Instead, he just kept walking. He already knew what he wanted anyway…

"You know that I have to give it a try here…" the swordsman said, his eyes never leaving the path.

"Indeed, I know." The old man answered, skillfully hiding the sadness from his voice…

"But you also know that he has the right of choice now" he added, turning his head to look at the man that walked beside him. His figure was indeed intimidating… no wonder none of these 'things' around them dared approach.

"I know. He will have to choose though…" the swordsman answered, his voice trailing off while he closed his eyes.

"Soon" the old man finished the sentence. The swordsman only nodded, opening his eyes once more and setting them to the path before him.

"Well, let's hope for the best" the old man's voice seemed to ring, to make a difference in the darkness of the forest, lightly only slightly seeping in from what openings the leafs allowed from above, which wasn't much whatsoever.

"For his choice" he continued, now a little more serious "Can determine everything…" he finished, this time looking up at the sky, or at least what was visible of it.

The swordsman only nodded.

The old man looked at him, a smile taking over his features once more

"Take care of yourself… Hakai" and with that, the old man disappeared the way he had appeared… in a flash of light.

Said man only gave a glance at where his… 'visitor' walked a second ago. Then he averted his gaze on the path, eyes set and feet leading him to whatever might lie beyond. The plains after the forest could be full of surprises…

XxxxX

This smell… he knew this smell… it was… yes it must be it… it was it…

XxxX

"Ramen!!" the yell was sure to have been heard for… miles even.

"Shut up dobe…" they heard Sasuke muttering in his sleep, turning the other side, away from the source of the noise. Said dobe was currently eating… consuming a bowl of said ramen.

Hinata couldn't help but smile, seeing him this energetic. She feared the worst when she had seen him like that, in that near death state before. But it seemed that his system had adapted to the new circumstances. And it was hungry. Too hungry for just one bowl to satisfy…

When the bowl was cleaned in all the terms of the word, Naruto frantically looked around for more. Yet he froze…

Before him was a girl… a beautiful girl, with a bowl of steaming ramen in hand, offering it to him. It didn't take him long to realize that it was…

"Hinata?" he asked practically himself as he titled his head to the left, curiosity taking over. He also had that tense to sometimes call her Hinata, or add the –chan honorific. 'Hinata', sometimes, just didn't suit with –chan in his opinion.

She only nodded, a wide smile on her face. She extended the bowl a little more "Come on, eat Naruto-kun, you must be hungry after that fight" she said and he took the bowl, taking it on his lap as he was sitting cross legged. The memories of what happened started flooding back in his mind… the battle, the Kyuubi… her…

He looked up at her. She was smiling now… she seemed happy… he preferred it so much…

Images of her, running, eyes filled with tears… he didn't want to see that again, he didn't want to live such a moment again.

He put the bowl aside on the sand and hugged her, before she could even flinch. Her eyes went wide and she blushed at the sudden contact, yet she did not back away. His grip was firm, strong, gentle. And warm…

"I'm sorry…" he whispered, his voice filled with sadness. She wasn't sure what he was apologizing for, yet she did not question. She just… hugged him, rested her head on his shoulder and tried to comfort him, for something he most likely had no power over…

"It's okay… it's okay…" she whispered in response as one of her hands stroke his back. It seemed to work as his breathing became more even. He was holding back sobs…

The clapping of hands could be heard beside them…

"Touching" they both turned, only to see Dankan clapping his hands, a smile spread on his face, his eyes as always gleaming with that same light. Naruto's face was one of question, of course…

XxxxX

She could hear voices… slightly opening her eyes, she saw the blurry images of… Naruto… Hinata… and a man in white robes… who was he? They were talking about something… well she could always ask later… back to sleep now…

XxxxX

He hang his head low, the news a devastation. If his chakra was useless then… he was not a ninja…

Yet Dankan smiled, his smile was still there. He was at the verge of grinning, yet he held it back. And it wasn't easy…

Hinata only rested a hand on his shoulder, trying to give comfort. She was ashamed that comfort was all she could give… she wished she had something more…

"Well, you can always take some of someone else's chakra" he added to his previous explanations and no longer than he did that, did the blonde's face light up, with hope. Now, he could not hold back his grin…

"What… what do you mean?" he asked, curious as he was.

Dankan of course, wasn't really the suspense guy… "Simple. If Hinata, for example, gives you some of her chakra, yours will at time, I don't know when, start running normally again. Your chakra is now neutral. If you infuse it with normal chakra, then it will eventually turn again into normal chakra. You could infuse it with other types of chakra as well, but that would be…" he brought his hand to his chin "Painful? Torturing? You'll wish you were never born? Yeah, something like that" he added, his grin reduced to a smile once more.

"Then we should do it!" he said, his eyes gleaming, but not with fire, not with light, but with determination… that determination she admired him for… that determination she eventually loved him for…

He looked at her, he looked at her eyes, seeking an answer. She only nodded in response. She was willing to give anything, if only to save his dream. He could not be Hokage, now that they had left Konoha, but she would not allow him to stop being a ninja. She would not let him lose what he was… who he was.

She gripped his hands and closed her eyes. Channeling chakra into someone else for such purposes wasn't something she was really familiar with…

Chakra started flowing around her hands, a faint blue color it had. It flowed smoothly out of her and into him, infusing him with what power she could offer.

Soon, a minute later, she stopped, taking in heavy breaths. Maybe she had gone a little over the edge, giving more chakra than intended…

He caught her as she was ready to fall. He caught her and gently placed her to the ground, letting her sit in his lap. She closed her eyes, tired to even keep them open. It was a long day… a really long day…

"Now what?" he asked, looking up at Dankan. The man only shrugged "I don't know. Your chakra might return to normal tomorrow, in a week, in months. It depends" he said, his expression serious and a little bored, if that could be the right word for the case.

"I see…" Naruto looked down once more, to Hinata's now sleeping form. She must have had gone through a lot today… but wait… if Kyuubi's chakra in him had changed, then what about her…?

As if he already knew, Dankan didn't hesitate to answer "The Kyuubi chakra inside her is neutral now too, though it doesn't affect her own. She's safe from it. _For now…_ " the last words were only a thought, as he knew little as to what could happen in the future. It was a rare occasion, that was for sure.

But right now, other matters were at hand, like…

Where would they sleep?

XxxxX

"Here we go" Dankan said with a slight groan as he placed Sasuke and Sakura down next to each other. They both fell back and seemingly turned to each other on their own. Dankan sighed as he took out a blanket and covered them with it. They had set up tents near the dried waterfall. He just hoped that they wouldn't have any night visitors from the nearby forest…

Stepping outside, he noticed neither Naruto nor Hinata around. There were two separate tents here. Probably one for him and Naruto, and the other for Hinata. He guessed that this Sasuke and Sakura where probably a couple already, thus the reason they placed them together. Yet he found it strange that the blond accommodated the idea of sleeping separately from the lavender eyed girl. They had probably not confessed… how did he know? Well, it's a question like, why does the sun shine?

He grinned widely as one thought past his mind. Looking inside one of the tents, he saw Hinata's sleeping form, clutching on something. Looking inside the other one, there was Naruto, he too seemingly having a troubled sleep. His grin became even wider…

Ruffles were heard around this small camp in the quiet night. When he was done, Dankan let himself enter one of the tents and lie down. He had to thank his sensei for letting him follow them… this journey would sure be a lot of fun… in more ways than one. Too bad there wasn't a third girl with them… he sighed.

Better leave his own romance out of this for a while. Maybe later, when they had finished this…

You just never know.

XxxxX

**That's it for now. You know the drill, read and review and such. I'm that kind of author that just loved reviews. When I look at an old story of mine, the first thing I'll admire at it it's the reviews it had ^^ Reviews are a way for me to know who and that people actually read this.**

**Special Thanks to Bumblemark for being my Beta**

**And Merry Christmas everyone! Happy new year in around... 2-3 days, depending on where you are.**

**HoNdeR All Mighty  
**


	8. Chapter 8Arc2: Into the Darkness

**A/N: So begins the next chapter of TTH, I hope you guys will have fun reading this =D Plus, The Travel Arc is finally over! We shall now enter the next one... I think there will be around 3 or 4 arcs in this story. Anyway, the chapter is revised, hopefully I've corrected any mistakes of mine. I hate it when I make mistakes because I just type too quickly and then I'm bored to proofread... oh well  
**

Disclaimer: Even an Ant knows that Masashi Kishimoto owns Naruto... what the hell people? Would I write fanfics if I owned the real thing? :P  
**But enough with this, let us contiue our path...  
**

_**Towards The Heaven**_

_**Arc2: The Path of Dawn**_

_**Chapter8: Into The Darkness**_

He groggily sat up as the light of the morning sun seeped inside the tent. He had quite some time to sleep like this, sleep and feel…

Happy

As to what the reason was, he had little to no idea. He sat up, dressing himself in his usual clothes. He would really need a new attire or at least wash the current one when they reached civilization again…

He stepped out of his tent, the morning sun washing his face in its light, giving him the sight of a new dawn.

Looking down, his eyes met a man. He sat next to the smoking fireplace, a slight fire dancing between the wood as he prepared breakfast, boiling ramen. Ramen…

Wait, what man? Black hair caught in a ponytail, dark eyes like Sasuke's… these two line-like-scars going between his eyes and nose…

"Morning, Naruto" he said with that all too familiar voice, taking a sip of his tea. Naruto rubbed his eyes and indeed, he was still there. Though now, he wore regular ninja attire, black pants and sandals accompanied with a black t-shirt and black jacket along with a net shirt underneath. Man in black, he thought ironically.

"Itachi?!" he nearly screamed as he finally took in the whole image. Said man seemed to wince as the cup of hot steaming tea nearly fell from his hands. If it had spilled on these clothes… Naruto would wish that he was never born… wait, if his life was as bad as he heard it was, then most likely he would even thank him for killing him. His eyes glanced at the boiling ramen…

He smirked…

"Tell me, Naruto" he said as he reached out for the boiling ramen, letting it all spill in a bowl. It wasn't much anyway, he didn't expect them to wake up soon enough to eat it. The teen gave him a puzzling look

"By your opinion, what is the best way to begin your day?" he asked, holding the bowl in his hand, the ramen steaming in all it's glory.

"Ramen of course!" the teen said, excited only at the sight of such a bowl.

Itachi's smirk widened… a lot

XxxxX

"What the hell is going on?!" shouted an irritated Sasuke as he got out of his tent, dressed in his black attire himself. He nearly fell to the ground, seeing Naruto running around like crazy, a cup of ramen on his head, his hair wet from the soup and noodles hanging around. The steam that came out of the bowl let him know that it was hot… very hot. Oh, Naruto screaming didn't make his try to restrain his laughter easier by the way.

He took out the camera his brother had given him, taking pictures of the screaming Naruto. Wait, now that he thought about his brother, wasn't that Itachi, laughing his head off as Naruto kept running? Yeah it was Itachi! What the hell was he doing here anyway…?

"Morning, Sasuke-kun" he heard a feminine voice behind him. Sakura was tiding her hair, dressed in her usual pink-black shinobi attire as she came out of the tent. "Morning" he replied with a smile as he kept taking photos of Naruto. Sakura leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder, she too giggling at the sight.

A loud yawn was heard from one of the other tents… "Ohayo everyone, how's it going?" Dankan greeted as he yawned loudly yet again, dressed in his white-robes while his hood was down, revealing golden hair caught up in a ponytail that reached the back of his neck, and a seemingly golden beard decorating his matured yet young face. His dull grey eyes still shone with that light.

Naruto stopped running for a moment, realization dawning upon him as he saw Dankan rising from that particular tent. Wasn't that Hinata's tent?

Dankan smiled, the biggest smile they had seen him do in all the time they knew him. And… he never stopped smiling from the moment they had met him, to tell the truth.

Before Naruto could start yelling at him though for sleeping and maybe harassing Hinata-chan, Dankan titled his head towards Naruto's own tent. And there was a sight to behold…

Everyone turned their attention where Dankan pointed, only to see Hinata slowly coming out, looking frantically around, checking for possible danger. And the weirdest thing among all…

She was wearing a nightgown that reached down her biceps…and short lavender pants that reached around her knees…

"W-what?" she asked when she realized the only reason that Naruto was screaming was a steaming hot bowl of ramen on his head, drenched in soup with hanging noodles and all. Realization decided to dawn upon the girl, as she noticed that she stood before Naruto… in her night clothes…

Dankan was amazed… did she know how to turn and other colorations? This girl could resemble a rainbow! It's been some time since he had last seen in how many ways the red color can been resembled… now he was seeing it again.

Naruto stared at her form, the bowl of ramen forgotten for now. She came out of his tent… so she was most likely sleeping with him… so they had slept together… and right now they where both blushing so heavily that he feared the rest of their bodies would die from blood loss…

He did the next logical thing that came in mind.

He started running and screaming again

Itachi fell to the ground, laughing so hard that he fought to breath.

Dankan laughed himself, though more calmly.

Sakura laughed too, trying to keep her own laughter down though.

And Sasuke was a few steps behind, taking everything in with his camera, the flash lighting nearly every second as he didn't want to miss a thing.

He smirked

"Sweet…" he whispered to himself, taking one more photo that seemed to have everything… Naruto running, bowl and all, Hinata blushing while trying to hide herself, Itachi rolling on the floor, Sakura giggling, Dankan holding his stomach…

What's a better way to begin your day?

XxxxX

"So, Itachi, to what do we own the… magnificent honor of your gracefulness between us mortals?" Dankan asked rather sarcastically. Itachi seemed to glare at him as another fit of laughter came from the others, Naruto finally having dried off his hair and clothes and Hinata having put her blush under control… and dressed of course.

"Well, it's rather strange…" he said as he stared down at the ground from his sitting position, the other having made a circle around the now slightly smoking fire pit…

"It went like this..."

_Flashback_

Ah, what a beautiful morning in Sunakagure! This house Gaara had found for him wasn't bad now that he thought about it. It had plenty of windows and seemed quite sturdy. Yet again, how sturdy can a house made of Gaara's sand look?

Oh well…

He tried to get up from his sofa, stretching as he opened one of the windows, letting the morning air rush in… He gazed beyond down at the beautiful village of Sunakagure were everyone was getting down their business as every usual morning he guessed. He let himself feel free and…

_End Flashback_

"Oi, Itachi. Cut to the chase will you?" Naruto commented, not quite willing to hear about how Itachi felt that morning. The expressions of boredom the others, along with Dankan, wore, told him that they must have thought the same thing…

The narrator sighed… "Very well…"

_Flashback_

He had returned that evening, tired from a whole day of running around on small missions assigned by the Kazekage and the hours of training he had struggled through. He let himself fall on his sofa, this time, sleep taking over him almost immediately…

Next thing he knew, there was a knock on the door. He rubbed his sleepy eyes as he sat up. Who could it be…?

Opening the door, his eyes were surprised to find…

Nothing?

"Weasel" said a voice, and he lowered his head, only to gaze at a smaller version of…

Sasuke?

"Weasel" the boy repeated. What the hell was going on?

"Wh…what? Sasuke, is that you?" if someone was playing tricks on him with a genjutsu, they were in deep trouble…

"Weasel" Sasuke repeated once more. "What weasel?" he asked "Dead weasel" the boy answered, letting Itachi's eyes go wide as he showed he man a real… dead weasel. Where did he find a weasel in the dessert anyway?!

"Sasuke… where did you get that from?" he asked, trying to take what he thought to be a more, 'big-brother' posture.

The boy pointed behind Itachi…

Said man looked where his brother was pointing…

From the windows… there were armies of weasels entering his apartment…

"Holy crap! Weasel attack!" the moment he said that, one of them jumped on him, latching on his face…

He panicked, his hands roaming as he tried to scream. "Take it off me, take it off me!" was all he kept repeating. He finally managed to detach the brown thing, only to see far more of them ready to bury him alive under a mound of endless weasels…

He run downstairs, and as he run through the corridors of the small flat-block, he could only see weasels attacking and killing people everywhere! It was horrible!

"Katon: Gokakyou no Jutsu!" he yelled out as he made the proper hand signs… yet nothing happened…

He got outside of the building, only to see an enormous and far bigger than the other weasels crushing the buildings of Sunakagure under its' foot… and the strangest among all…

Was that it had Sasuke's face.

"Hahah! The weasels will dominate the world!" its' giant foot descended upon Itachi, who just felt himself rooted in place…

_End Flashback_

Till now, everyone around him was rolling on the floor… literally. Even Hinata. Yes sir, Hinata.

"Weasels… world domination! Oh god!" Naruto managed to squeeze out as he kept laughing.

"Well, that was a good one Itachi, any other jokes you have to tell?" Dankan commented as he managed to straighten himself. Itachi glared at him…

The only one not really laughing was Sasuke though. Why did HE, have to be the giant world-domination obsessed weasel anyway?

"Anyway!" Itachi yelled and everyone managed to compose themselves, ready to hear what else he had to say…

"As I was saying…"

_Flashback_

Itachi woke up, his breathing heavy and his forehead sweating. God, was it a dream? He looked outside the window…

And no longer did he do that, that a giant mace fell from the sky… crushing the whole village, except from his home.

His expression could be explained as… 'Oh-my-god-its-raining-giant-hammers' or something.

Then a shadow appeared… it started taking form… it was massive, enormous even. The giant hammer could easily fit in it's hand…

His expression grew more ridiculous when he saw who the one that the hammer belonged to was…

"Eheh, gomen, gomen… I'm just a little clumsy." Commented a blond haired teen with whisker marks on his face.

Well, imagine that he destroys whole villages when he's clumsy. What does he do anyway when he's pissed? Destroy cities or something?

"Naruto… what the hell…?" Itachi managed to whisper, and somehow, the giant edition of said boy managed to hear him.

"Hey, it's Itachi!" he yelled happily, causing a whirlwind or two to form and hit his house, shaking it soundly.

"Oh, sorry" he said as he rubbed the back of his head. "What the hell is going on?" the older yet smaller man demanded. Naruto looked at him curiously "What do you mean?" he asked, now stepping completely out of the shadows and towering maybe a mile above Itachi's house…

"Wow… so much dust around… I think I… ahh… ahh…" he was going to sneeze…

Now, Itachi could be seen as an inventor.

For he had found a whole new way of how to twist your face in a 'Holy-crap' expression.

_End Flashback_

"Come on Itachi. We're not here to hear your stupid dreams with Naruto in them." Sasuke said, annoyed by the whole situation. He nearly shivered at the thought of Naruto being really that big…

The world would sure be different. Way different…

It would most likely be a wasteland… and the blonde would surely wonder where all the ramen stands had gone…

"Not yet. I have to take it slowly…" the former rogue explained as he motioned them to silence their little whispering…

_Flashback_

Itachi woke up once more, this time relieved to no end that it was just another dream… from where did all these come from anyway?

He turned around, heading to the kitchen for a cold drink. He really needed one…

Though the sight of Hinata and Sakura sitting there at his kitchen table, discussing something didn't really surprise him… at least they weren't giants with enormous maces or world-dominating weasels…

He started preparing himself some green tea…

"So I had this idea for a great movie…" he heard Sakura beginning enthusiastically. Yeah, it surely was a movie with all the greatness of anything Sakura can usually think. Like that… soldier-pills… oh god.

"It's about two Ninjas, who find, a Headband of Power, and they have to take it to the 'Burning Kitchen' and cast it into the cauldron. They form, the brotherhood of the Headband." Why did this sound familiar?

"Along the way they are traced by a nuke-nin named Forum, who's obsessed with the Headband, and Nine Headband boogie men!" yeah, it would be a big success… among the infants.

"It would be a three part called, 'Ruler of the Headband', followed by, a couple of towers, with a climatic ending like, 'Hail! The Hokage's back!"

"Girls…" he whispered to himself and even though he did it out loud… they didn't notice him…

"That sounds good Sakura-san. But how about this? Two girls move in to an apartment in Sunakagure, only to later on find that it belonged to a former rogue ninja in the past?" Hinata said and Sakura seemed to think about it… wait…

"Later on, as they discuss about movies, they find out that the apartment is haunted by the same rogue, who died here violently. First, he was attacked by an army of weasels and then, a giant blond man smashed him along with the weasels in order to restore order to earth!"

Okay…

"And right now for example, he would be right there at the kitchen trying to prepare some tea, only to find out…" Itachi looked at the boiling tea…

"That he is dead!"

…

...

Well, sometimes he really doubted female intelligence. How was he supposed to discover he was a ghost anyway? He reached out for the boiling tea…

When he did so though… his hand went straight inside it, without touching it whatsoever…

"Oh, our tea should be ready anytime!" Sakura pointed out and he looked at them once more…

What the hell was going on?

_End Flashback_

"Hmm that ruler of the Headband thing isn't bad!" Naruto commented out of the blue. Everyone looked at him as if he had said that, cows fly in the sky and shoot planes down with milk…

"What?" he asked, not quite sure of what was wrong himself. It would be a good movie! He just knew it.

Itachi sighed…

"And finally…"

_Flashback_

He woke up once more, on his sofa as usual...

He heard a buzzing sound… then half of his house was destroyed… as a giant goat-like demon fell from the skies… a sound Jounin dropping a few meters away…

Well, his apartment now had a more… 'open' view of Sunakagure…

"Fuck it…" and he fell back asleep on his sofa…

_End Flashback_

"Strange dream" Sasuke commented. Everyone had the same thought running through their minds, except Dankan… who pretty much knew how this had happened…

"I later on discovered… that it was a real demon." Itachi commented, making everyone look at him incredulously.

"And since people said that they saw it coming from the north… I guessed it had something to do with you guys" He continued, checking each and every one's expression. Surely, that demon didn't come out of thin air… not with a Jounin on its head, at least.

His eyes fell on Dankan....

"You…" his voice was dark as he frowned. Though the white dressed man only smiled back at him. Itachi frowned even more… you don't smile, unless there's something to hide, or cover up something.

And he didn't like secrets…

"Yes, Itachi-san?" Dankan replied, his voice sure and cheerful. What an act…

"So… tell us about you, Dankan isn't it?" he asked, changing the topic. "I don't see people dressed like this around. Sure, monks wear white a lot, but aren't hooded." He took a sip from his tea "And you, my friend…" he set it down on his lap

"Are not a monk" he concluded and Dankan's smile didn't seem to fade anytime soon. Was it the only expression he knew how to make…?

"Well, you surely are perspective, Itachi-san." He said, a bit of respect in his voice as he slowly stood up.

Now that everyone thought about it… they hadn't asked him on this topic yet…

So who was Dankan, really?

"I guess we all know my name's Dankan, right?" he asked kindly. Everyone except Itachi nodded, said mans' eyes practically glued on the narrator, his expression an emotionless mask. The blond only sighed, his smile never fading, his dull eyes filled with light…

"First and foremost, I have to ask you. What do you think about…" he seemed to think about it for a moment…

"Light and Darkness?" the question sure was unexpected, as everyone looked at him as if he was crazy. "Not something you get asked every day, ne?" he said with a chuckle.

"Uhh… Light is supposed to be something good, while Darkness is something bad?" Naruto asked, his two long teammates muttering a 'baka…' under their breath, while Hinata only smiled. He could be so simple minded at times…

"Not necessarily, good point though." Dankan replied to the suggestion, making Sasuke doubt his mental ability whatsoever…

"You see, Light is something that's supposed to be pure, something that's supposed to be cleansing and guiding. It's… like an emotion." He started, careful to have their attention. Even Naruto that usually had the attention span of a goldfish seemed to concentrate…

"The Light always flows through each one of us. If we accept it or not, is another business. The light exists and lives on in every good act one may do, in every good deed his body and soul commit. We usually feel the light in simple emotions like…" he took a thinking posture again…

"Happiness, love, innocence and generally all positive emotions a human can expirience." He continued…

"Embrace the Light, and it will embrace you back." He smiled widely at his little audience, even though Itachi was as emotionless as ever.

Hinata had a smile on her face… firstly a fond one, then a sad one, followed by varied emotions that flied in her eyes, good and bad. She was a soul seeking acceptance… she was a soul that sought redemption over the darkness that besieged her. She had kindness, potential to love, forgivingness…

The Light shone in her…

Sakura was rather less emotional, though her eyes shined with a searing determination. The shine of a girl that seeks something more, the shine of a girl that _is _more. Confidence, inner-strength, potential…

She was moving down the right path…

Sasuke's eyes were less giving, his speech not making him open himself. But he could see… the Light could see… beyond that mask, beyond the coldness… Strength, confidence, arrogance…

He sought the Light, yet the Darkness fought hard to claim ground…

Naruto… now this guy was interesting, as he didn't have to use anything to read him. The complete determination, the power to forgive, the power to see the bright side when it doesn't even exist, the passion to become stronger the right way, the will to push through all the shadows and touch the sky…

No, the Light didn't simply shine in this boy….

He was a beacon of it. A beacon of the Light…

Yet such beacons always drew the attention of the Darkness…

And sadly…

Even the chosen can fall…

He could see much… sadness, neglect, scorn, sorrow, fear, doubt. All these emotions buried in his soul, buried and locked away…

But the room wasn't endless… one day, they would be free…

And if they did so, then the Darkness that sought to claim him would seize the opportunity…

And crush the Light…

He shook his head. It wasn't the time to think about it… not yet.

"The Darkness…" he started again, their attention thankfully still on him. "Is… what you can call… the opposite? Yeah, I guess that should do" he shifted in his posture. He never liked explaining this part…

"It is the opposite of the Light, really. Darkness is… Darkness." He shrugged "I can't give a real explanation here. You'll have to find a student of the shadow if you want to know more" though he doubted that the evil counterparts of him would let them live long enough in order to know the whole thing. Indeed, Darkness could be ruthless… more than normal.

Their expressions grew to thinking ones, probably analyzing what had just been said. Dankan brought his hands in a seal…

'…_kai…'_ and as he said this word, his ears started lengthening… to the extent that they were now really long and pointy at the ends…

Everyone's expression grew to one that can be explained us… 'What the hell'? People don't tend to see Elves every day, that much he knew.

"Uhh… what's up with your ears?" Naruto 'smartly' commented, though the others only nodded, Itachi still motionless, a statue that took in everything…

Dankan smiled widely "Well, you know that there are many kinds of humans, right?" he said, though that didn't seem to help them much…

"Black people, Asian people, White people, humanity is consisted of different races… species, if you like" he kept explaining, everyone except Naruto finally catching up to at least some of it. He sighed…

"I'll explain it quickly: Long ago, a baby was born. Unlike the others of its race, it had long ears, like mine. Its parents didn't know what to do. Cutting the ears would be barbaric, killing the child not being better, throwing it away… simply cruel. So they did the only thing possible. They left their town, escaping somewhere where the infant would not be neglected for its appearance. Later on we took this name... Elves, as the other humans called us" He smiled…

"The village they found, lies to the north of the Dead Forest, beyond the Valley of Lost Souls as we call it nowadays" his eyes darted at the dark forest nearby, seemingly trying to look through it…

"Tomokagure no Sato… (The Village Hidden in the Light)" he whispered…

Naruto looked at his warily "So much Light and Light and Light. What's up with you guys and all this 'Light'?" he asked as he pouted, taking his own unique questioning pose, the one that people could describe as 'Trying-to-think-yet-don't-understand-a thing'. Dankan only laughed at his comment…

"Naruto-san… the Light for us is like… Chakra, let's say" he said with a smile. The others looked at him questioningly once more…

"I'll make it short. When you fuse with the Light, when you accept it… it fuses with you too, it makes you stronger. Our Chakra is merged with Light" he extended one hand, calling forth his powers…

His palm started to glow as a small swirling sphere started forming… and out of it, small golden butterflies started flying to all directions… a majestic sight to behold.

"We command the Light… we bent it to our will… but we don't force it. We call upon it and through the connection we have with it, we use it as our own" he said, looking at his hand as if entranced by it himself, even though he was the one creating the scene…

He closed his palm, the Light fading…

"This is all I can let you know for now…" he said, a small smile on his lips once more as he looked at his new… friends. Yeah… he could call them friends, wouldn't he?

"So, this is all you have to know about me. If you want to know more about the Light, then I would suggest someone who can explain it all better" he smiled, the company being put in thought once again. "Somewhere in the valley once was a hidden mansion. Its place was marked by a single flower that stood out among the others. Yet no one knows how to call upon it…" he sounded sad, as if reminiscing a painful memory…

"My father lived there… yet from the day that the valley became corrupted, no one dared to go looking for him, not even I… if I did so, then I would succeed at nothing but die. At least if I went alone…" the look he threw at them didn't go unnoticed… not even from Naruto, at least this time.

"Well, we're already on our way to Tomokagure, so why not help your old man along the way?" Naruto suggested, one of his own grins on his face. Dankan's smile only grew wider…

"I couldn't be more thankful"

"Then we should get going" Itachi said out of the blue, having spoke for the first time since Dankan began his narration, his emotionless mask dropped as he took another sip of his tea.

He slowly stood up, tea-cup in hand and all

"All you have to do…" he gazed at the liquid for a moment, then his dark eyes darted on Dankan…

"Is lead the way"

XxxxX

The dark-clad man practically stormed inside the hideout, destroying everything in his path…

Two Sound guards went to stop him… only to be consumed by fire, nothing, not even ash left behind…

His hands continually flied through hand seals, each jutsu following the other as he practically incarnated anyone who dared stand in his way. He finally reached the last corridor…

He kicked the door open, sending it flying towards the snake throne that lied at the other end of the room…

Only to be cut in half… by a sword…

His eyes widened when he realized who had intercepted the flying door. No… it wasn't Orochimaru…

For said man's head was now hanging in the hand of a swordsman… his blades' tip dripping with blood, a corpse lying not too far away…

"You…" this seemed to catch the swordsman's attention, a smirk on his pale face…

"Ah, so you've come to claim this fool's life? Too bad…" he raised his sword, licking the blood off it…

"I've beaten you to it" his smirk only widened as anger seemed to practically emit from the man dressed in black robes.

"Hakai… you insolent bastard" he said, quite disbelieving to the sight before him… he fathomed the idea of a genjutsu, but Orochimaru had no way to know how Hakai's smirk was…

And this smirk was real. The wrongness it had for just being on said man's face was all he needed to be sure.

"You don't have to praise me, you know. This piece of snake-trash was child's play…" he threw the head of the dead man to the intruder, it bouncing before stopping before his feet…

"You had so much potential… Hakai… what a shame" his hands went quickly through hand seals, nothing but a blur of motion being visible. He pointed his palm towards the swordsman…

Fire consumed him, a blazing whirlwind that shook the whole dungeon with its ferocity. When it died down…

"Come on… I know you can do better than that…" Hakai said as a green runic shield had surrounded him. "Sensei…"

This time, two whirlwinds of fire shot towards the swordsman, only to crash and vanish on his shield. But before Hakai could even smirk at his opponent's futile attempt, said man came out of nowhere, a sword practically made of shadows in his hands, ready to cut his head off…

He raised his blade, easily parrying the attack as his enemy jumped away. "I've taught you well…" he stroke again, this time faster. The two swordsmen entered a dance of death as they kept parrying and striking each other, their footsteps a mark of excellence as one wrong step could cost them their life… and the difference was just an eyelash

It was Hakai who jumped away now, though his smirk was never fading.

"Maybe too well" his former sensei completed.

"You are a shame to us all Hakai. A damn shame" he shot forward again, aiming for the swordsman's heart. He sidestepped the forward strike, turning around in a whirlwind of steel, repelling his opponent away as he had to back off once more.

"The damned can not seek redemption! There's a reason for it you know!" This time he yelled, another blade of shadows forming in his other hand…

"You knew all too well… when you became one of us… the shadows are not forgiving, Hakai" the blade was complete. He set his stance, ready to launch once more

"And neither am I" this time he turned in a whirlwind of darkness as he shot towards the swordsman, his dark blades and clothes making him nothing but a pitch black tornado of destruction…

Hakai's hands flied through hand seals…

"Katon: Baira no Kasai (Fire Release: Barrier of Fire)" he slammed his palms to the ground…

And a blazing wall formed out of nowhere before him. He jumped away as his opponent came right through it, fire engulfing him as he dissipated into nothing…

"Kage Bunshin… how funny" he smirked. Unlike a normal ninjas Kage Bunshin, this Bunshins were dissipating into shadows… apart the fact that they were far stronger and 'versatile' too…

A blade found itself embed in his heart…

And he too dissipated into nothingness…

"Hmph, laughable indeed" his opponent commented. He quickly turned around, parrying with both of his blades a strike from above. Hakai seemed far more cunning than last time… he had to be careful…

"Not bad… you are still good…" he retreated a few steps before striking again, this time a forward attack, aiming for the robed man's heart. He quickly sidestepped it, avoiding the deadly strike and using the momentum of his dodge, he spun around, one his blades ready to severe Hakai's head…

The man ducked, avoiding the strike and spun himself, kicking his opponent off his feet. The robed man fell to the ground, the blades falling from his hands as he hit the concrete with a loud thud that echoed in the darkness…

"But I am better" Hakai stepped before his former teacher, the tip of his blade on the man's neck, the steel thirsting for his blood…

"Come on… do it. It doesn't matter, you fateless fool! More will come! I am nothing! You will fall! You will be…" he didn't finish his sentence as Hakai embed the sword in the man's neck, blood pouring out…

"Then bring it on… I will slaughter every and each one of the fools that will dare hunt me…" and with that he retracted his blade, the robed man letting his last breath fade away as the chill of death took over him…

Hakai gave one last look at the corpse…

And turned around. That bastard didn't even deserve a burial… no… he regretted killing him like that. Damn his emotions, he let his words take their toll on him, make him lose his cool.

Why did this always have to happen? Why couldn't he wait to torture him a little, maybe take out an eye or two and then kill him? Well, nothing he could do about it now…

He turned around again, eyeing the bloodied body

Unless…

A smirk found its way on his face…

He walked over to the body again, this time his hands forming hand seals…

Good… his soul had so many sins… perfect… this could make it even more painful…

He was glad that the soul had yet to leave the corpse. It always took a minute or two, before the life force that kept it bound dissipated. But not a chance in hell that he would let this bastard escape so easily…

Finishing with a final seal, greatly resembling the kanji for 'Oni (Demon)', he slammed one palm on the man's chest, a green, ominous light emitting…

XxxxX

"Yosh! Ready to go!" he yelled excited as he pointed to the darkness that lied beyond them. Dressed in their usual ninja attires, the company sighed at their friend's antics. He would always be so eager to just jump into something…

"Naruto-san, you remember what you had been told yesterday, don't you?" Dankan asked as he looked at the blond, his excited expression fading as a curious one took over

"Uhh what do you mean…?" he said as he scratched his head, trying to remember. Dankan sighed, yet smiled. This kid could be so foolish at times…

"First of all, do you see that path over there?" he pointed to the trees, a small opening visible through the thickness of the forest, revealing a narrow path, two people barely being able to move alongside each other in it.

Naruto nodded. At least his vision wasn't like his brain… which was, of course, dense as a stone.

"Good. Now, whatever happens, and I mean anything, do. Not. Stray. From it." He pointed out each word as he knew all to well what happened when this 'little' rule was broken...

"It's daytime right now, so even if you fall out of it you should have a minute or two to rise to your feet. But during night…" he paused for effect

"You won't even have seconds" everyone, except Itachi of course, seemed to gulp at this information. So, what Dankan was generally trying to say was that, if they dared to step out of the narrow path, it would be their doom…

"Why's that, Dankan-san? What could be out there?" Hinata asked in her always soft voice. Dankan smiled for a moment…

"Nobody knows…" their attention was on him once more…

"For nobody ever got out there in the forest…"

"And lived to tell the tale" his smile widened as fear seemed to come over them once more, Itachi the only exception of course.

"But Dankan… I had gone through this forest… around two-three years ago… and it was nothing like this" Naruto looked over at the trees once more… what could possibly have had happened in that time that could make such a beautiful place like… this?

Dankan sighed, his smile fading as sadness seemed to take over…

"There had been… problems in Tomokagure. Recently, we've seen a rise in their numbers… the demons… they seem to be up to something. Right as we speak…" he took a shaky breath

"Tomokagure no Sato… is under siege" every looked at him incredulously. He expected such a reaction, of course.

"The demons had began their assault one year prior. Now, this once beautiful forest is a death-trap, and the valley beyond that was once filled with life is no better. Tomokagure is the last bastion of the Light against the Darkness… and if it falls…" fear seemed to take over him… even for a second.

"Let's not talk about it… we have a journey ahead of us, don't we?" he smiled again as he began walking… the forest awaited them, and they had not a moment to waste. It would be a journey of about a day if they began now… they should reach the other end next morning…

The others followed suit, keeping close to each other as they entered the ominous bastion of trees and darkness…

XxxxX

"Ok… this place creeps me out" Naruto commented as he shivered, the low temperature of the area clearly uninviting. The wind didn't blow in here, the smells were ones of something rotting…

He didn't dare to look behind the bushes… he didn't want to know

"If you smell something, don't worry. It's the previous fools that dared to set foot out of the path…" Dankan said as he looked back at them with a smile. He was leading the group anyway…

Now Naruto really didn't want to know. Really, really didn't.

His mind though drifted off as they kept walking… it was so quiet… only their footsteps audible in the silence that ruled over.

He glanced at his friends… all of them looked terrified and completely on guard. A wrong step could cost them their lives here…

Except Sasuke and Itachi of course… these two looked just fine, as if it was nothing but a stride through the park. Which was partially true, though the park was gigantic, dark, and able to kill you if it wanted.

Dankan could see through it though… the Light could see through much. Itachi may have been emotionless in his expression, but his soul talked volumes. He feared, for his life, for his brother's life. He cared…

Sasuke was trying to replicate his brother's mask, though he was less successful, occasionally throwing glances at his pink haired friend. He feared about her… he knew that when Sakura was scared like that, she could easily make mistakes, like tripping or something otherwise trivial. He could even see his hand trying to reach out for her, yet kept it place. No, he wanted her to rely on her own strength, for if he was always there for even the smallest of matters, she would never become stronger. That didn't mean that he wouldn't help if she asked though…

Dankan smiled. This company had bonds…

Hinata would glance at her blonde friend at times, or even stare at his back as they walked. Funny, she seemed to be more scared about him, rather than herself. He wandered if all this care would one day be her undoing…

But there was no reason to think like that. Not when the blonde of the company, seemed to share her feelings…

Dedication. An attribute really rare in the times they lived. Naruto would always be there for his friends, for her. Even now, the blonde deep inside was curious about her own feelings…

He held back a chuckle. This boy's mental world was blind… but maybe, he just needed a hand to guide him through…

He nearly smirked. It would be fun, right? But let's just reach and save Tomokagure first... he would have his 'fun' with these two when this little journey was over…

Everyone shivered as they heard a distant scream… even Itachi. Dankan himself looked out inside the thick, dark forest, looking at the direction the scream had come…

"This is bad…" he said out loud. Everyone turned to him, fear evident in their faces as they braced themselves for anything.

"Someone is going to be their next meal… poor fool" the white-robed man commented as he sighed and shook his head. But there was more to it… and they had little time…

Suddenly, howls and forlorn noises started taking over the whole forest, as if the beasts that lived in it tried to communicate. A breeze blew, the trees themselves gently shaking as the wind passed by, a promise of doom hovering in the air…

"Everyone… if you want to live…" he started, their attention always on him. He was the one that was supposed to know what to do, anyway.

"Run for it"

And he took off, his feet quickly carrying him along the path

The other's new better than to stay behind, and followed suit, the howls and screeches becoming more audible…

XxxxX

"Feast… feast my children…" the voice was dark… ominous…

Fools that dared to brave the darkness of the forest… such a fool was this one… and such fools deserved nothing but extermination…

So that the impurity of their foolishness could be forgiven, only death was fitting…

He slowly approached the devoured corpse… only a few pieces of flesh remaining…

Fitting…

One bony hand rose above the dead… a dark purple lighting emitting from it…

The corpse rose from the ground, thin air practically the only thing that kept it standing…

Any piece of flesh that remained started melting away, leaving nothing but bones behind… a clean skeleton.

The caster seemed to smirk under the shadows… he retracted his hand slowly and gazed upon his creation. Said being slowly turned around on its own, its bones doing small cracking noises…

Its empty eyes now had a yellow dot in them, gazing curiously at its surroundings, the imprinted expression of an evil grin on its skull, no skin there to be able to alter it.

"Go now… aid your brothers… slaughter those fools… and bring me their corpses…" the skeleton made a sound that sounded like a snicker… or at least as much of a snicker a skeleton can make, when he had no lungs or breath to make it for that matter.

Said undead took off, disappearing in the wilderness…

XxxxX

"Meimeiton: Tenrai Tomoshibi (Divine Release: Holy Light)!" Dankan yelled as he went through a small and quick set of hand seals, sending a bolt of golden light against something…

For about five minutes since they began running, the whole forest seemed to have come alive. As they run down the path, they had to always watch out for anything that could just pop out of nowhere and attempt a chop on their heads…

Screeches, howls, anything that could make a normal human shiver and hide under a rock could be heard throughout the forest as they kept their endless run. Naruto could occasionally see a clawed hand reaching out for him, yet thankfully enough, his kunai was faster.

"That's ten for me!" he yelled behind him with a wide grin as he cut another one of these arms…

"I've already cut fifteen, dobe" the young Uchiha replied with a smirk of his, dodging another one of the claws that came out of nowhere.

Hinata kept running at a steady pace, keeping herself close to her teammates. Not that the path allowed much room anyway…

She kept her focus on the road and in any movement in the bushes… these things were only blurs, so fast that they moved. Her Byakugan couldn't really catch them…

She could finally use her bloodline once more, Kyuubi's chakra neutralized and all… yet she could still feel it, like a small burden that lurked inside her, waiting for something. She didn't have time to think about this now though… the grasp of death himself threatened her life.

"Keep moving!" Dankan yelled as he shot another bolt of light into the bushes, earning a high pitched screech. It had probably found its mark... but it was no use, as he himself was already starting to feel a bit of fatigue. His stamina was never his best point…

"Sasuke…" Itachi said while running a step behind his little brother, said teen turning to look at him. "Gokakyou… both sides… together" he said, not wasting his breath in trivial words. Sasuke nodded, going through a set of hand seals, his brother following swiftly…

"Katon: Gokakyou no Jutsu!" they both yelled in unison, shooting a giant fireball at each respective direction, left and right. The screams and howls of pain were enough to tell them what had happened…

Toasted demons… qualified by the Uchiha brothers, guaranteed success on any type of evil creature. Except the fireproof ones, of course

Dankan grinned. The fireballs should have bought them a few seconds of lead…

Both brothers had their Sharingans ablaze, the clawed hands that came practically moving in slow motion, a piece of cake for their skills to intercept. This was nothing…

But to Sasuke, Sakura's scream was everything…

He halted his movements… the adrenaline and the power of his Sharingan letting him see what had happened… she had tripped over a fallen hand while trying to dodge three others from both sides… somehow, these monsters seemed to want her more badly… or it was because she was the last in the line of the group.

No matter what though, he had less than seconds to reach her…

Everyone halted their movements, seeing Sasuke stop himself. He harried to Sakura's side, picking her up…

And a cloud of hands, the grasp of death, rained upon them…

"Shugohakke Rokujuyon Sho (Protective Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms)!" Hinata exclaimed as a dome of blue chakra surrounded the company, she only a blur of motion as her body and hands worked to create the barrier of sharp chakra. Naruto seemed awestruck for a moment… even Itachi had to give her credit for it, for his Sharingan could barely see her itself…

"Ikuzo(Let's go)! I got her!" Sasuke said as he set Sakura on her feet. Said girl shook her head and set herself in a ready position, prepared to launch forward…

Such was everyone's focus on the run, that they failed to notice the pink-haired kunoichi giving Sasuke a peck on the lips… leaving him with a slight blush for a moment, before it faded away.

When Hinata stopped her technique, everyone shot outwards, she taking only a split second to begin running herself as the world came back into view, the blurry images fading. She barely escaped another cloud of hands that shot for her…

Naruto's hands came to a seal… "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" four clones appeared, running behind everyone and suddenly…

Jumping into the bushes…

The blonde had to keep himself from feeling sick at the moment. The memories of his clone's short lives shot in his memories, the images of the beasts clear in his mind before they shredded the poor replicas to pieces, yet said pieces turned into clouds of smoke…

These… things… they where faceless, their face only a large lipless mouth with only deadly fangs for teeth, their heads egg shaped and bald, the color of their skin grey, the color of the dead. Their hands where long, bones visible at some places and rotting pieces of flesh decorating their whole body, what could be called a rag of cloth covering the lower part of it. They moved at all four, their fingers having long and sharp claws, their feet similar.

He really had seen very few more hideous things than these…

And what pissed him off, scared him out of his wits, and troubled him above all…

Was that they were after his friends…

After him

XxxxX

Dankan had little time to think, had little time to consider anything beyond moving his feet. If these little abominations were so much trouble, wait till you saw the big ones! He didn't want to think about that right now though…

He had to end this, or they would end them…

"Meimeiton! Enka no Tomoshibi (Divine Release: Beacon of Light)!" he yelled as he stopped and slammed one palm to the ground…

His whole body started gleaming at first… then shone… and shone, and shone… more brightly with each passing second as Light seemingly emitted from his body.

"Everyone! Stick to me, now!" he yelled and everyone was more than happy to oblige, the Light giving them comfort in this troubled hour. They all neared the robed man and to their surprise, the Light he emitted seemed to keep the monstrosities at bay as their hands seized their assault and screeches could be heard ringing throughout the darkness that surrounded them.

Dankan sighed while keeping his technique active _'So much for laying low…'_ he thought as he felt another presence nearing… it was dark… and thirsted.

For blood

XxxxX

"What is this…?" the voice shrieked as it turned away from the direction the Light came from "Light…? A Guardian… what are they doing here? None of them is allowed passage!" this time it yelled, its voice dark, a promise of destruction.

"Slay them… slay them all!" a terrifying eruption of screeches, yells and generally any noise that could make a man simply die took over the silence of the forest.

The monsters didn't have to wait even for a second… without hesitation, they rushed into the wilderness for their victims, following the shine of the Light…

XxxxX

This wasn't good… this technique drew up a lot of power, having to infuse the whole body with Light. And they were coming… he could feel them, he could sense them, even hear them! Their 'voices' were the worst thing he had ever heard…

For every time these noises erupted…

Someone died

"Quickly, we must move!" he yelled once more and everyone nodded, following his lead as they run down the path. The monsters didn't stop though… silently from the side, away from the Light, they were following suit, waiting for the moment that the Light would fade, waiting for the moment that the caster falter…

And then they would strike…

XxxxX

'_Crap, crap, crap… and more crap! The last thing I need is faceless monsters! Couldn't there be any Ramen monsters for once?'_

'_Okay… punching the ground won't help, they'll come again… medical jutsu won't kill them either I suppose…'_

'_Gokakyou… Chidori… what could possibly stop them? Maybe a banana biscuit…? nah'_

'_I think I left my tea cup back at the camp…'_

'_Keep running… just keep running… you're not a coward, the monsters are just too many! Yeah, that's it, the monsters are just too many… I wonder how they see without eyes…?'_

Dire situations require dire thoughts… yet this company of friends seemed to be out of the rules' bounds.

Dankan had to think himself a solution fast… time was of the essence… he could feel himself tiring out… he had already stressed it too far, this technique was supposed to last about thirty seconds, not ten minutes that he had it…

His footsteps came to a hold as his eyes widened in fear…

The others didn't take long to see it themselves and their eyes widened even more than his…

What was this…?

XxxxX

"They thought they would escape!" a voice boomed through the dark forest and into the giant crater…

Before them, said crater seemed to have been opened out of nowhere, a good portion of trees taken out. Yet it was still dark, as the light of the sun could not penetrate the bastion of darkness that loomed above them…

Looking up, they saw a dome-like black shield, something that they supposed that kept the light away…

But now, they were in the open, no where to run and nowhere to hide…

Meters away from them, these faceless monsters started gathering, a shriek their voice sounded like as they regrouped, their grey faces fixed on the company…

Naruto, along with the girls of course, nearly screamed when he even saw skeletons coming out of the forest, gathering along the other monsters.

"What is this?" Itachi said as he gripped his katana, his brother doing the same thing as he charged his own blade with Chidori…

"A trap" Dankan commented as his wary eyes gazed over the gathering forces of darkness. They were many…

"You…" the same ominous voice as before said, practically coming out of nowhere, yet everywhere…

"What made you think… that we would let you pass so easily… Guardian?" the voice said, and chills went down everyone's spines…

"Why are you doing this? We haven't broken any rule! We didn't touch the forest!" Dankan said, trying to reason with the undead. A low, evil chuckle emitted through thin air…

"You… did not… but this one…" one of the skeletons stepped forward, the evil grin and the lifeless yellow pupils facing them, a terrifying sight it was…

"Did. And since you were in the forest too… well, why stop in only one meal?" it chuckled again, the abominations before them making noises that seemed to emit anticipation…

"But he wasn't with us!" Dankan argued once more, yet already knowing that it was in vain. The Darkness was never forgiving…

"Do I look like I care…?" even without seeing it, they knew that this 'thing' had a wide grin on its face… if it had a face, that is.

"Slaughter them" and with that, the whole army of undead shot forward, against the small team of Shinobi…

XxxxX

"Gokakyou no Jutsu!" Itachi yelled as a giant fireball shot forward, incarnating to dust a bunch of them…

"Chidori!!" Sasuke exclaimed as he shot his hand forward and started running in between them, the power of the lighting technique burning each and everyone of these monsters that crossed its path…

"Sanaro!" Sakura commented as she slammed a mighty punch on the ground, making it widely erupt, sending plenty of them away…

"Jyuuken!" Hinata kept dodging strike after strike, answering each blow with a Jyuuken one, sending pieces of the monstrosities flying away, or even the whole of them. Her agile movements and the grace of her speed kept her from faltering… and probably dying.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto exclaimed himself and a small army of clones appeared in front of him, keeping the monsters at bay as two more clones helped him with his technique…

When he was done… "Oodama Rasengan!" he shot forward with the giant ball of swirling chakra in hand, slamming it through clones and undead alike, leaving nothing but dust in its path…

"Meimeiton: Honoo Tomoshibi (Divine Release: Searing Light)" his blades shone with Light, golden flames surrounding the metal as he slashed through the monsters, one by one them falling to the ground. He was already tired from using the previous technique for so long…but he couldn't give up now. No, not now…

"Katon: Fenikkusu Kaki (Fire Release: Phoenix Fire)!" Itachi exclaimed as he finished in the tiger seal. Bringing his hand to his mouth, he took a deep breath... "Katon: Kasei (Fire Release: Force of Flames)" he exclaimed once more as he released his technique, one hand before his mouth, the other making a one-handed tiger seal…

Fireballs started shooting out of his mouth and into the monsters, burning them to the ground as they screeched. The enhancement technique made the fireballs shoot even more rapidly than the normal rate, the attack becoming deadly and far less avoidable…

XxxxX

The battle raged on for the next ten minutes, the company fighting their best to keep the undead at bay. One mistake could mean their doom…

'_Damn, I have to do something! I can't keep this up for long damn it!' _Naruto thought as he sliced the head of a skeleton away, the bony body falling to the ground…

Then his mind clicked… as he saw one of his clones poof out of existence…

"Guys! Come close to me, quickly!" he yelled and everyone slowly approached him while still fighting, Itachis' fire techniques and Sharingan eyes the only thing that had kept him alive… along with his Katana, of course. Sakura kept punching the monsters away, her brute strength crushing them into a pulp. Sasukes' own agility and Sharingan had allowed him to reach his friend quickly through the vast army of the dead.

Dankan came quickly, a small flash of Light he was as he practically teleported next to Naruto, breathing heavily…

Hinata made her own way there, which was the shortest one, considering she kept herself close to the blonde the whole time…

XxxxX

"Fools… you can not escape… death is the only way out…" that ominous voice commented as he saw them struggle for survival. For that was all they could do. Getting out of here alive was more likely impossible…

Though he had to admit, they had already taken out a vast number of his forces… he had to pull them back… he would deal with these fools on his own.

He seemed to sigh…

'_Never leave a mare undead to do the work for you…'_ he stepped forward, into the battlefield…

XxxxX

The undead seemed to retreat for a moment… and as their hearts were filled with joy, they felt a dark aura suddenly emit through the forest, taking over everything…

"There is no escape…" the dark voice from before said, a shadow appearing in the edge of the forest at the other side of the crater…

A foot… then a whole leg… then a whole torso… then a head… the figure before them was nothing like the undead they were fighting till now…

Dark crimson-black robes graced his body, a similarly colored hood hiding his face… small skulls hang from the pouch he had on the left side of his waist, while his leather belt only had one bigger skull as a buckle.

He rose his head, a pale-grey old face looking at them, his eyes still not visible…

"None can escape us…" he pointed one of them…

Shadows started rushing towards their victim from everywhere, the lack of light only making it easier for them to move around.

Itachi didn't even have time to yell as the shadows devoured him, encasing him in a cocoon of darkness…

"Next is…"

Sakura jumped away as she barely avoided one of the shadows… only to fall in the grasp of other ones, her body pinned down, one of the shadows forming an axe of darkness right above her head…

"Easy…"

Fear seemed to wash away from them as they realized the direness of the situation. Their opponent was a shadow-master… this place was his kingdom.

Naruto yelled as a shadow caught him, immobilizing his whole body. It tightened around his waste, preparing to crush him to half…

"Naruto!" Hinata yelled as she saw him being caught in the death trap. Without hesitation, she rushed towards the robed man, hate in her eyes…

But she didn't go for long, before one of the shadows grabbed her feet, throwing her to the ground, a pointy shadow right above her neck…

"Pitiful" was the only thing the dark voice said as his eyes fell on Dankan. Said man only had a smirk on his face…

"Now watch them…" he rose one open palm…

"Die" the palm closed…

The shadow cocoon erupted, destroying anything that was inside…

The shadow axe fell down…

The shadow-bindings tightened even more…

The shadow needle went for its mark…

Yet all of the targets only poofed away in smoke…

"What the…?" surprise was evident in his voice. He looked at Dankan, said man going through a set of hand seals…

"Meimeiton: Tenrai Tomoshibi (Divine Release: Divine/Holy Light)!" a light shone so bright, that the user of darkness had to close his eyes in order to avoid it. He didn't even flinch from his position though…

When the light subsided, he gazed upon nothing but a crater, undead corpses littering the land…

"Damn them…" he hissed… before he turned around, a loud roar erupting, causing even the servants of death to flinch...

XxxxX

Well, this was a close call. Kawarimi no jutsu, along with Clones and Henge no jutsu was a very good way to escape. Now they all run at their full speed, the undead still in confusion behind them, not knowing where they would be heading to now…

"Come on… I can nearly see the light…" Dankan commented as he smiled to his new friends. He could sense the darkness being less thick here…

Perfect. They had done a days' journey in only a few hours. That was good… if they had any luck doing the same through the valley that lied ahead, they would be there in no time…

Naruto squinted his eyes as he managed to see a few sunrays at the horizon of his vision… yeah, they had made it! The had escaped!

"Woohoo! We're out! We're finally out!!" He yelled in excitement and did the first thing that came in mind, along with the joy of the moment…

He hugged the one that was closest to him… and in this case, of course, it was Hinata…

Said girl blushed furiously as Naruto practically squeezed her on him… and to add to it…

Maybe it was unbeknownst to him, but he had kissed her… it was a short peck on the lips… but he had kissed her…

This time, she really didn't know what to do in order not to faint… in his arms…

"Eh? Hinata? What's going on?" he asked curiously as he felt her weight completely on him. She wasn't heavy though…

"Don't worry Naruto… she's just tired from the battle" Dankan said with a wide smile… it seemed that the blonde, amidst the confusion that his momentary joy brought, didn't even realize his actions…

"Uhh, ok" Naruto said, curious yet happy all at once. He just felt that he had done something right… yet couldn't remember it.

He carefully slung her on his back, holding her from the thighs as two slender arms came to rest around his neck, her head touching his back, slow, soft warm breaths on his skin…

Even in this cold forest… she was so warm… he couldn't help but smile as he walked down the path, ready to exit once more in the light…

"He really is an idiot…" Sasuke whispered to his pink haired teammate and she only giggled…

"Maybe that's what she likes most about him" she replied with a smile, kissing the Uchiha on the cheek, earning a slight grin from him.

He didn't say anything to that… he only crossed an arm around her waist and kept her close as they walked behind their two friends, one being carried on the back of the other…

"We are the only singles here" Dankan commented with a sigh as he started walking himself, Itachi a step behind him.

"The two in the front aren't together yet…" the dark-haired man replied. Dankan turned to look at him, a wide smile gracing his lips

"That's right" he turned forward again, gazing upon the road beyond…

"'Yet'"

XxxxX

**A/N: So ends yet another chapter! I hope I don't have any mistakes... oh well, I sincerely doubt :P Anyway... I hate only a few things in my life, and a few of them are... let me count... 'NaruSakutards', pointing out the -tard in the end. Simple NaruSaku fans are ok with me, though I don't like them, I can understand that they just have different opinions and likes. **

**Anti-NaruHinas... ok, these guys are usually either NaruSakutard nooblings, or Hinata haters who are too heartless to let a shy girls' romance bloom, just because they don't like shy people. **

**And NaruxHarems. Ok, here... I'll go on a rant, so you guys don't have to read it. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!**

**I can't stand them! And you know what I hate most? The stories themselves are usually good! They are god damn good, and the fact that they are a Harem ruins it all! I despise harems, they ruin the most sacred thing between what NaruHina stands for. And that is of course, Romance, since we all know how cute this couple is.**

**Harems KILL romance, they KILL and shredd it to tiny little pieces along with the meaning of love. How the hell, I mean how the hell, can one love three or more girls AT THE SAME FREAKING TIME?! And don't give me the "Naruto deserves it!" crap! He deserves love, not a f***ing orgy! Just imagine it dudes, what seems more romantic? You and the girl you love, or you and a bunch of girls? I say, the first is more romantic, while the later is a scene practically coming out of a p*rno :/**

**You can't love more than one people in a romantic way at the same time. Hell, even I like TWO girls in my school, but I like the one more than the other, so having them both would just be a disaster, since I would pay more attention to the one I like more. It's utterly impossible to feel the same feeling for more than one girl AT THE SAME TIME! So that's why I hate NaruxHarems, they ruin the whole meaning of Romance, they ruin the reason that I love NaruHina most. Curse them, curse them to rabbits!**

**() ()  
(0.0) Bunnies xD**

**Sorry, I just had to take this out of me. You people that read my fic and also read harems, I can't blame you, you must have your reasons. But I hate them, that's all =)**

**R&R you know the drill, otherwise the bunnies will come! :P**

**Yours,  
HoNdeR All Mighty  
**


	9. Chapter 9: Pursuit of Justice

**A/N: Honder is back baby! Yeah I know, you guys missed me ^^ Oh well, I know I haven't been updating much as of late, but I like pulling a Shikamaru often... I'm lazy by nature, sue me =D**

**Sadly, this chapter is around half the size of the other ones... but I wanna try something new to me, so I just had to end it here. I'll try and work on the next one soon though...  
**

_**Towards The Heaven**_

_**Chapter9: Pursuit of Justice**_

And so the darkness went on… so the shadows kept consuming… so the blood kept spilling, so did those that harbor evil bath in the glory of the slaughter. Screams of pain, of agony, filled the air as demons high as a mountain cut through the buildings of the small village as if they were nothing, no one spared on the onslaught they created.

A few of the villagers that had at least some strength and courage fought the force of evil with anything they had, be it a pitchfork, or a shovel. But nevertheless, accustomed to fighting they where not, so no more than a few lesser demons they could defeat, before each and every one of them fell under their might.

A figure watched atop all this, the skeletal flying monster that carried him swinging its' wings slowly as it kept itself in midair, it's rider gazing over the annihilation. His eyes seemed crimson as said color practically seeped out of his eyes and his black helmet, his face not visible as darkness itself seemed to hide it from view. A cloak that looked as if it was drenched in blood flowed behind him, the fierce winds maneuvering around the cloth.

His black armor shone in the orange light the flames of destruction under him emanated, the darkness of the night making his features intimidating, any common soul that dared gaze upon him would shiver in fear, run in terror and finally, die in agony.

For he was relentless, the word 'Mercy' having no place in his vocabulary. He was death itself, he was the hand of reckoning. And none, would stand in his way.

Only one man had once dared it. Only one man had once defied his rule, had once betrayed him. And this man was his very brother…

No, he wasn't. He didn't deserve to be called his brother anymore. He didn't deserve to exist.

So he would find him. This small village was but the beginning. He would tear the land asunder, but he would find him. And it would be his very own blade that would pierce his heart, that would end his life.

The mighty skeletal dragon let out a mighty roar, it echoing in the darkness far away. Through the black mist that concealed his face, his red gaze pierced the darkness that overflowed all around the flaming town, searching for any fool that would dare fathom the idea of escaping. There… he found one.

It didn't take more than a second for him to command a Bloodhound into action, said demon dog alleviating its course of movement towards the direction of the fleeing civilian. The demon bore its' fangs on the poor man, he screaming in agony as searing pain coursed through him.

He… he nearly shivered. All this blood… all this death… he couldn't ask for more… for now.

The dragon turned, flying away above the smoky dark sky, the fires illuminating its intimidating figure from below. His whole army started following suit, towards where the dragon flied...

Towards their next target… their final target, the last bastion of defense against their might…

Tomogakure no Sato

XxxxX

Most people would be more likely to agree on Dankan's thoughts here. Come on, it isn't everyday that you meet people with ramen consuming abilities, right? He wondered if it was a bloodline or something… how the hell did Naruto manage to devour all this noodles so quickly, was beyond him.

They had moved forward a good kilometer of distance beyond the Dead Forest, safe from the undead and the Necromancer that commanded them.

Necromancers… evil humans with dark powers, using the Darkness to animate corpses and rise dead bodies to do their bidding. Thankfully enough, most necromancers didn't have enough power to command more than a few undead at a time. But this one…

They were lucky indeed. Through all the forces of darkness that they could encounter in that damned forest, they managed to fall on the head of the cult! Tons of luck and Naruto's enormous chakra reserves where the only things that saved them whatsoever. Who else could have enough energy to kawarimi a whole group of people via shadow clones, anyway?

He was also surprised that the teen's chakra was back so soon. He made the wild guess that Kyuubi, while being inactive in the part of chakra, could still enhance his healing and recuperation process. Amazing what demons can do…

But back to the present, the small group of adventurers now found themselves within the rocky valleys of the Valley of Lost Souls, as Dankan called it…

Stories talked of a mighty man who made the earth rise, turning this once beautiful campus into a ragged piece of land, rocks and cliffs high as the sky popping out everywhere, the paths in between them narrow and dangerous.

So here they where, walking up one of these concrete cliffs, intent on staying somewhere where ambush from above was less likely to happen.

"Here we are!" the white-robed man exclaimed happily as he took one final step, now gazing down at his comrades from his position. It didn't take more than a few seconds for the others to reach the top as well…

If this was an anime or something, there would be a funny sound of jaws hitting the floor, accompanied by wide white round eyes of amazement and disbelief… and a little stuttering, maybe.

But, since this isn't an anime (or something), things didn't go that way exactly, minus the hanging open mouths and wide eyes, each person having his respectful eye color

And some may ask… why?

Well, what would you do if you suddenly saw an endless valley of jagged earth in front of you, countless cliffs and edges everywhere… and this image spread for as far as the eye can see, Byakugan included?

Right…

"Yeah, ok, I know it's a little weird and such… but…" poor Dankan was at a loss of words… they probably hadn't seen anything like this…

Naruto was a little more accommodated with this image though, having seen the endless flourishing valley this place once was.

"Guys, remember: It's the Valley of Lost Souls. Lost. Souls. Doesn't it ring a bell or something?" the follower of the Light commented, trying to focus their attention on something else than the sight.

"Uhh… we're gonna see ghosts?!" Naruto had practically hid himself behind Hinata and Sakura, the first blushing slightly while the later having her hands twitching…

"Naruto… tell me you're not afraid of ghosts…" she was seething, that much was sure. She didn't like the idea of having to drag the blond around every damn corner of this place, or have him nagging and complaining about how scary these creatures made of ectoplasm where.

Oh no, she wouldn't have that…

"But… but… you can't Rasengan something that doesn't exist!" he exclaimed, trying to reason in order to avoid his teammate's anger. She nodded slowly…

"Exactly. Ghosts don't exist, got it?" her glare made it look more like a demand, rather than a question.

The blond only nodded quickly…

"We've got company…" Itachi said out of nowhere. Everyone jumped at the sound of his voice, calm and low as it was. The tension only perked up as low wails started vibrating throughout the valley…

"W-What is this?" the jinchuuriki of the company was practically shaking behind the two girls, wary blue eyes scanning the area for any possible danger…

"Banshees…" Dankan cursed under his breath. He knew they would have to encounter these bitches at some time during their travel through here… but he at least hoped that they would have some time to recuperate. He was still tired…

"W-w-what's a banshee?" Naruto asked once more… he was sure that whatever this thing was, it was scarier than Sakura… if that was even possible.

"Female undead spirits… they use curses and dark magic to bind enemies and repel attacks… plus they can take over your body. And that's not good"

"Why? What of our willpower?" Sasuke asked, intrigued and worried at the same time. He guessed it was similar to the Yamanaka's mind jutsus… one of great willpower could repel them, that much he knew of.

"It doesn't matter… they destroy your very soul in the process" Dankan's answer was nearly a whisper…

Everyone silently gulped. This would be tricky…

The wails seemed to intensify, if only for a moment.

"Move! Now!" and with that, the white-robed man took off, running like hell above cliffs and small canyons, his friends following suit

"Do we really have to run again…?" asked a tired Itachi. He had spent a good deal of his chakra on the previous battle with the undead… plus he really needed some sleep, having traveled from Suna so quickly in order to catch up with them.

"Unless you want to stay behind and have a chat with them…?!" Dankan shouted behind his shoulder, already panting…

And the damn wails just kept intensifying…

XxxxX

"Your… student… might need a hand here" said a short figure, the darkness of the room illuminating only his outline as he peered forward

The man before him only smiled as he gazed within the pool of shining golden water, the image of six adventurers who run through a valley long lost to the darkness illuminated in it.

"He wanted a challenge… I gave it to him. All we can do now, is see how he will cope" his voice was calm, as if nothing was wrong in the least

"But you know just _who_ travels alongside him. We can't lose them, not now" the short man pushed on, trying to reason with the elder before him

"Relax, my friend. Now, we can't get agitated, can we?" he smiled

The short figure only shook his head. The man before him always had a way to hit around the bush…

"Very well, the council will trust in your judgment. For now." He let out a sigh, frustration audible enough in that short freed breath.

"And how long do you think it will take them to come here?" he asked, this time curiosity taking over.

The seemingly older man smiled widely as he rubbed his short gray beard, eyes gazing upon the golden pool behind his hood.

"With that speed" he chuckled, seeing a certain blond stumble on his feet for a moment

"I wouldn't be surprised if they hit my door in the next minute" the shorter man only shook his head once more. That humor… it made him miss the old good times. A smile of his own found its way on his lips, nonetheless.

"How about a small… bet?"

The gray bearded man looked up, a grin now having replaced his previous expression…

XxxxX

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!" Naruto kept chanting over and over as his feet kept moving, any tiredness vanished as fear overwhelmed him.

Uzumaki Naruto was a brave man, this was common knowledge to everyone. He could face off a legendary missing nin and grin through the whole battle, he would dare call the legendary Sannin nicknames that most would die if they even dared to utter, he would oppose destiny itself.

But, if there was one thing the young blond feared…

Was ghosts

God damn ghosts

And right now, his heart nearly stopped as he saw one…

"Meimeiton: Tenrai Tomoshibi (Divine Release: Holy Light)!" he heard Dankan's voice shouting and before he could even blink the shadow he had seen had vanished…

'_Their rounding up… the damn freaks are toying with us…'_ to say the least, the gray eyed man was not amused, nor happy with the situation. But he should know better… Banshees were always like this, playing with their victims mind before either killing them or occupying their bodies…

So here they where, surrounded by countless shadows… they where feint, small prickles of blackness here and there, but once again he knew better. Shinobi genjutsu was an ability that these bitches knew all too well…

For the Uchihas and Hyuuga of the group though… things where a little tighter…

Sharingan ablaze, the brothers could easily see what lied behind the genjutsu of the shadows. Whenever a shadow was lied in truth a whole ghost in all its ectoplasmic glory. Spirits that seemed to have no lower half they where, a torn wide dress they seemed to wear, skin pale as death as only their upper body seemed concrete, eyes shining with a dull gold color and a wide massive main of long hair adding to the horrifying image.

Oh… and the screeches they let out didn't help either…

Hinata struggled to keep her fear from showing… but not her worry. All of the group was already tired from the previous battle… and how the hell where they supposed to fight ghosts anyway?

She had taken note from early before that some specific Meimeiton techniques could work wonders, especially on undead. The Tenrai Tomoshibi seemed to work well against them, for it either killed them instantly or forced them back.

But in this case… Dankan was exhausted. His Meimeiton techniques were much weaker than before. Her Byakugan had also noted warily the massive chakra he had used with that 'Beacon of Light' technique back in the forest and was amazed that the man could still keep going, still keep fighting, still keep using techniques… His reserves nearly matched Naruto's…

And he didn't have a demon to boost them whatsoever…

She also spared a glance at the blond… she would have laughed at his childish display of fear where they not facing death. And she wouldn't die now… not now. She wouldn't allow herself, no, she wouldn't forgive herself if she died now…

Sakura herself had her own worries… how the hell was she supposed to punch a ghost? If she knew the top of a Banshee was concrete, she might have been less fearful…

Yet again, it all depends on whether or not you'll live long enough to near one anyway…

'_We're close… we're pretty close…'_ Dankan thought to himself, relief washing over his overwhelming tiredness as hope seemed to rise in his heart. Somewhere around here was his sensei's home…

He took note of the enormous eagle shaped boulder that they passed under… they where so damn close.

But so where the fuckin' Banshees…

XxxxX

"Katon: Gokakyou no Jutsu" Itachi exclaimed as he yet once again used the prized technique of his family. A pair of Banshees that had tried to ambush him from behind where now nothing more than two pieces of scorched cloth on the rocky earth as the fireball passed by…

Itachi didn't like where this was going. He could feel exhaustion taking over, his Sharingan starting to falter…

Sasuke's own quick eyes easily took in his brother's slight sight of tiredness. The man was good at hiding anything… even his fatigue.

He didn't spare more than a second on the matter though. Right now, there where other matters at hand…

Like taking that freakishly scary undead bitch out of his way...

XxxxX

So Naruto wasn't the brightest of people. Truth be told, most could call him an idiot through personal experience, rather than mere rumors.

Yet here he was, in one of those rare moments of brilliance that seemed to shine every now and then in the blond jinchuuriki.

Right now, plenty of his clones could be seen running at every possible direction, the Banshees clearly confused as their genjutsu made shadows chased after them, intent on taking on their souls…

The blond was even more surprised that, when a Banshee actually took hold of a clone, he only had to dispel said copy in order for it to vanish, along with the undead that had taken over.

But that didn't come without a cost…

His head was literally killing him as in the distant corners of his mind he could see… no, he could _feel_ everything the undead was feeling while it had possessed his clone, while it was his clone. For Kage Bunshin related the information it had gathered to its summoner upon dismissal or death, the Banshees that had taken over his clones and died along with them send him whatever the clone was feeling… whatever he was thinking… and that, relatively, gave him a full prospective, undead point of view.

All this sorrow… all this pain… his clone could see, could hear, could smell. But his actions and emotions where not his own. All he could do is see and register, nothing more, nothing else. It was as if only the eyes remained under his command…

All in all, the Banshees were merely broken souls who where forced to this torture of undeath for eternity, cursed to exist in a world that they clearly did not belong.

And to add to all of this… they were actually taking orders. He didn't know how and didn't even know how he did know… but he knew that his clones, while being possessed where actually taking orders from someone, as if their will was not their own…

Another clone dispersed as a Banshee took over… the thoughts and feelings rushed in him once more…

He was literally feeling sick. Through all the torture he had endured as a child, this feeling was actually even worse than what he was used to. It wasn't neglect, it wasn't scorn, it wasn't fear.

It was torture. Pure, relentless torture… as if your very soul was ripped out of your body in order to commit hideous crimes not even imaginable… and then take over another body to continue this murderous acts…

Sorrow, pain, torture… all these were the basic feelings of a Banshee. Hatred… their only motivation as it seemed. What surprised him was that, these undead held no knowledge of what they where before they died and where brought back to serve the darkness.

Their memories were an endless sea of blackness, a constant amnesia. All they remembered, all they felt, was pain.

And he would feel sorry for them, he really would…

If they didn't try to rip him apart on first glance that is…

XxxxX

Hinata to say the least, was more than satisfied to see that these 'ghosts' where actually vulnerable to chakra. Itachi's successful techniques proved the point…

But her Jyuuken was not to be considered. She had seen what happened to Naruto's clones on the mere contact with these undead. The female ghosts would either attack them head on, use some kind of genjutsu that made the clones sloppy as hell, or possess them on contact.

So she didn't want to risk having her soul ripped out, no thank you. She liked it as it was…

"We're almost there! Hang on!" Dankan's hands seemed to fly through hand seals…

He suddenly stopped as they jumped yet another small ridge. Dankan slammed his palm on the ground right as he landed, several series of kanjis, symbols and runes spreading everywhere…

The undead suddenly came to a halt… screeched…

Then vanished on the sight of glorious light...

XxxxX

"Well, looks like I won" his wise voice held nothing but amusement as he sat up, a hand extended to the shorter individual.

Said man only sighed… "I really must stop betting against you…" he said warily as he took out a small pouch, the clinging sound indicating the presence of something metallic inside it… perhaps coins, for example?

The older man only kept smiling as he took the pouch and placed it within his robes…

"Isn't gambling a sin, sensei?" asked a relatively younger voice seriously. Both figures turned to look at the newcomer, said man accompanied by five other figures, outlines only visible in the deem light the one candle provided.

"My boy, I didn't gamble. You gamble when you believe that you _might_ win." He turned to grin at his other companion

"I _knew_ I would win" the shorter man only shook his head, a gesture he noted that he found himself doing a lot lately…

"Oh well… guess I'll see you two around" with a smile and a flash of light, the man was nowhere to be seen…

"So…" the old man turned his attention to the group of newcomers once more.

"Care to introduce me to your friends, Dankan?"

XxxxX

"Sweety! Dinner's almost ready!" yelled a maybe too cheerful voice.

Said man only shook his head as he tore his eyes away from his little novel. He really didn't like it when he read stories that contained oh so much romantic drama. Boy loves girl, girl loves boy, they get together, later in the future they have to break up for one reason or another, they make their own lives, marry other people yet still love each other and still have a tradition or two going between the two of them, only for it to be a remainder of their pain…

Drama… he hated drama, but he had to admit that it just felt good at times…

He walked into the kitchen, smiling widely at the young woman before him, she gazing at him with a wide smile

He approached her and quickly took her in a hug, his lips automatically finding their way on her own as they slowly fell back, a small bed of sand keeping them from hitting the ground as it elevated them above the concrete earth…

"Gaara, I wonder what I did to deserve you" she said with a smile, that never ending cheerfulness still there, even if her voice was a whisper… a damn too cute whisper. Don't ask how a whisper can be cute…

Gaara could only smirk. He was just about to ask the same thing…

Well, one thing was for sure. He knew why such dramatic romance stories felt good to read…

For the old-now-little sadistic part of himself couldn't help but enjoy having something that people in the novels and even in real life didn't have…

Oh, the glory of sadism… just wonderful. Sahana could know very well what that meant… hell, it wasn't easy compressing all this energy and cheerfulness of hers… especially in bed.

He grinned…

XxxxX

He was a busy man… a maybe damn too busy man…

"Last time I say this, I won't repeat myself, no, no, no… if you make me say it again, you will wish you hadn't… I'll make sure of this" his voice was painted with malice, madness, a certain promise of pain.

"Where is it? Where is the sword?" he was seething each word out, a short blade twitching in his trembling hand as blood slowly gushed out of his victim's wound, said victim pinned on a wall with said short sword in his abdomen…

"I'll tell you nothing! Go to hell where you belong, you damn son of a bi…" he never finished his sentence… the fact that his head and his body had parted ways made sure of that.

His 'torturer' slowly bend down to the now sitting against the wall corpse, cleaning his blade against the man's brown robes. Damn these guardians… think their faith can save them and all these crap. He wished there was at least one weak-willed among them… but Tomogakure knew what it was doing. Only the toughest where to wear a Guardian's robes…

Well, too bad their fighting skills weren't equal to their endurance. It was just too easy…

He stepped away, seething the dagger behind his waist, his cloak hiding its existence fully…

His long straight white hair danced with the small sudden breeze… he stood in the middle of a forest, trees and rocks surrounding everything. The small house that stood now a few meters away from him was drenched in blood… literally, blood was covering its outer wall in all directions. Let's just not talk about the interior…

Corpses littered the forest floor, wounds of every gory kind imaginable open in all their hideous glory…

Yellow eyes scanned the area, his leather armor reeking with the smell of blood, his cloak flowing around him…

He sighed… yet another outpost of the Guardian's and yet nothing came out. No new information. Oh well, that only meant that he could kill even more people…

His eyes suddenly glowed, his whole body consumed by fire…

When it subsided, where once stood a leather-clad dressed man, easily passed as a hunter, now towered a warrior clad in black plate armor, an equally ebony long-sword on his waist, his white hair still the same…

Though his eyes where blue, like a cloudless sky.

Hakai didn't display any more emotion as he started walking away, his plate armor clinging as he stepped through the soft forest floor…

Another burst of flames…

And the man was nowhere to be seen. Only the image of a slaughter remained behind…

XxxxX

The Valley of Lost Souls… good times, good times they were indeed. He remembered it as if it was yesterday, when his army fought here a year or so ago the forces of the Light… what a glorious slaughter…

And once more he found himself here, leading yet another army towards the last bastion of the Light in these lands…

And when it fell, the world would crumble under his might… everyone would bow, everyone would submit. Or they would die a torturous death…

No… killing them would be a gift, a show of mercy. He wouldn't have any of that.

Turn them into ghouls… now that sounded more like it.

He yanked the rains of his ride, the boney dragon letting out a fearsome roar…

And out of literally everywhere, figures started approaching the vast army, one flying over to him…

"_**Report…" **_his voice sounded like the echo of two, low and deadly as it was.

"We… had visitors… great lord…" the Banshee lowered her head as her own voice seemed to be echoing, even though there was nothing to vibrate on, on this height at least.

"_**Speak…" **_

"A Priest… and five others… passed through us… hid in the light…" the ghostly woman seemed to struggle to take the words out.

The rider seemed to give the slightest of nods; his gleaming red eyes locked forward, said color seeming to leek out of the blackness of his helmet…

"_**We move…" **_and with that he yanked the rains once more, the dragon roaring yet again as he flew forward, a massive army of demons and undead rushing behind, through cliffs and canyons, through passages and obstacles…

Nothing seemed to stand in the way of the dead…

XxxxX

At one moment, they were in that hellish valley surrounded by a freaking army of ghosts. And next thing he knew, they were sitting cross legged in a dining room, a man wearing the same robes as Dankan across them…

"So… Itachi, Hinata, Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke… correct?" he asked as he gave a nod to each respective one as he called their names. All of them nodded in return to the call.

The man chuckled, most of his face concealed from his hood, only his beard and never-wavering smile visible.

"Glad you all made it here alive. Good job, Dankan" he gave a smiley nod to said man, who only smiled and bowed in return.

"Come on sensei, you really believed that a bunch of undead could bring me down?" he stroke a flexing pose, earning giggles from the girls, a hearty laugh from Naruto and way too similar smirks from the Uchihas…

"Well, yes, I did"

"Oh come on…" another set of the previous reactions erupted as Dankan face faulted, his teacher now grinning…

"From what I saw, what you fought can only _not_ be described as common undead, now can it?" his face turned serious as he leaned slightly forward, his student sighing as he sat down cross legged on the polished wooden floor. The table of the dinner area had somehow been removed…

The entrance to said room was a brown wooden double-door, two fireplaces at each respective side of the middle of the room with a wide dinner table in the middle, chairs accompanying. Also, plenty of pictures decorated the walls along with the red and golden colored tapestry.

"So, who cares to tell me what exactly happened?" he already knew everything, the pool of visions was to be thanked for that. But he always liked to hear people talking… well, at least someone else than Dankan.

Naruto shot his hand in the air almost automatically…

"Very well, you go first" the bearded man said with a smile as the blond erupted in a wide and varied explanation throughout everything that happened, from the moment they left the camp, where he failed to mention the morning events, to the moment they got here.

It didn't take more than five minutes… or an eternity…

"So long story short…" Dankan said as he put a hand on the blond's mouth, a vain attempt to silence him as Naruto didn't even stop talking, his words a constant mumbling… hell, he didn't even seem to notice Dankan's hand.

"I said…" Dankan's voice was a bit higher, if only to get the blond to shut up.

Thankfully, for everyone except Naruto, Sakura came to the rescue, her glare and tightening fists the only warning she was to give…

And dear heavens, as if by miracle the blond finally shut up…

"Long story short" he repeated "We managed to pass through the Dead Forest without casualties, escaped from the grasp of a Necromancer and saved our asses from an army of wailing Banshee bitches" rough explanation, but eligible.

The bearded man only nodded.

"You still haven't told us your name…" inquired the Uchihas at the same time, not sparing more than a second in an amused glance at each other before turning back to the man…

Said man only chuckled as he slid his hood down… revealing short straight gray hair that nearly reached his shoulders and deep brown eyes…

"My name is Rikou. Nice to meet you" his smile was never wavering as they all gaped at him…

"Holy crap…"

"Oh my god…"

"Holy dobe…"

"Someone pinch me…"

Though Naruto's eyes where nearly big as saucers… literally

He could recognize these features everywhere, even without the wild long mane of white hair and the red tattoos, the outfit and the perverted grin…

"E… ero-sennin…?"

XxxxX

**A/N: Ha! Look at what I've done here! Is it really Jiraiya? Well, that you will learn on the next chapter I think ^^**

**Oh... one of the Genres is Romance and I have yet to place any real in the story yet... oh well, I think I'll do something about it on the next chapter. Just so you know, the main theme of this story is Adventure... so I'd like an opinion or two on how my battle scenes are. I'm not very good at them, neither am I in describing things... so just let me know. You can't hope for me to get better on my own right? How the hell am I supposed to write better when I don't even know where I'm making mistakes? If I make them, that is...**

**R&R, you know the drill.**

**Till we meet again,  
HoNdeR All Mighty  
**


	10. Chapter 10: To Doom a Legacy

**A/N: Not much to say, AN at bottom (Note: Please forgive any mistakes you might find. This story is not Betaed and English is my second langauge ;p Plus I'm too lazy to proof read ^-^)  
**

_**Let us continue our journey...**_

_**Towards The Heaven**_

_**Chapter 10: To Doom a Legacy**_

"E… ero-sennin…?" his voice was disbelieving, as if what was before was just a specter, a ghost, an illusion of his mind. It just couldn't be…

"Naruto! Watch your mouth!" Dankan yelled back, having missed his teacher's small smile as he peered calmly back to the stunned group. Truthfully, he had expected no less.

"It is alright, Dankan… I can understand their surprise. It is only natural that they misunderstood me for someone like Jiraiya." He chuckled "We look quite alike, you have to admit that" Dankan only gave his teacher a worried glance before settling back.

"Now, where were we? Ah, yes, introductions. As you may have already noticed, I do look alike with one of the Sannin, do I not?" his smile widened "But, I sincerely hope that my lack of lust and manners do make a difference between me and that man" they all nodded slowly before looking between each other. Only Naruto remained adamant…

"Don't give me that crap Jiraiya!" he had called him by his name…

"Listen, boy" the smile had vanished, the brown eyes had hardened as he frowned towards the blond, he now gulping in surprise as he tried to compose himself…

"I may look quite a handful like your old master, and truthfully, I can understand that this may come as a shock to you more than it would to anyone else. But I am not Jiraiya. I am not one of the Sannin…" his expression had softened as he spoke those words

Naruto only slumped his head in embarrassment, his eyes gloomed with sadness all of a sudden.

"I'm sorry, Rikou-sama…" even as his tone was apologetic, even as he called him formally, the man only hardened his look once more.

"Be sorry when you have to be, not when you don't. Use your apologies where they are needed, not where you or someone else just wants to hear them. You, are not sorry right now, Naruto. You acted on an impulse and on hope, that your teacher was still alive. You still have faith, don't you?" and yet once again his expression grew calmer and softer. He knew this was a sensitive matter for the boy, for said boy didn't hesitate to show it.

Naruto nodded…

"Very well. I won't tell you to give up, neither will I encourage you, my boy. Hold on your beliefs on your own, for they are your beliefs, not someone else's. Follow your heart when you must, but don't forget to listen to your mind as well." Dankan sighed… Rikou was playing the wise guy again…

"I am wise, Dankan" said man nearly jumped from his sit.

"But I am not all knowing. The best I can do with the knowledge I hold is pass it on to the younger generation. That is the purpose, of knowledge. To be passed on in order to also help the ones that come after to persevere."

Dankan nodded in embarrassment as well. He liked to joke about his teacher, tease him or playfully insult him at times, but he knew full well that Rikou was not a man to be trifled with, be it combat or a verbal debate.

"Now, as you may all know…" an earthquake got everyone's attention, as eyes darted all around the house while it shook slightly.

"Dankan… do you sense it…?" Rikou asked slowly while his eyes where glued to the ceiling.

His apprentice only nodded…

Another earthquake.

"Go, now! Inform the others, tell them to prepare the knights! We will hold them back for as long as possible…" His voice was worried, quick, maybe even a little panicked.

With another nod, Dankan was gone in a flash of light…

Rikou turned to the others…

"I understand that you are already winded from the battles you endured to get here. You should head upstairs, take a right turn and head inside the second room to your left. Stay there, no matter what happens." He sat up and headed for the exit…

"Wait! Can't we be of any help…?" Sakura asked, worry evident in her face and voice. For them or for him, he knew not.

"No, with the strength that you have remaining you can only stand as a last resort, here, in the house. I will hold them back 'till reinforcements arrive…" and before further argument could be posed, he vanished in a flash of light himself…

They all knew what was coming. They all knew what kind of 'enemies' the old man went to face off against.

They only hoped that he would stay alive…

XxxxX

The earth shook. The very ground was trembling at the wake of his forces. The land itself was succumbing to his might.

And who would dare stand against him? Who would dare face his ruthless warriors?

No one. None would oppose him…

For he was mighty, he was eternal, he was…

"Shit-faced?"

Indeed, it sounded only fitting. Wait… what?

"**Who dares…?"** he titled his head to the right, bewildered to see someone else riding on his dragon as well.

In a matter of a second, his blade was in his hand, heading straight towards the white-robed man's neck, intent on wiping that damn grin from his face.

The man only disappeared in a flash of light as his sword hit nothing but air.

He grunted as he looked down, his army had halted as well. That fool was doomed… his army was swarming through the valley, he could not escape.

"Meimeiton: Tenrai Tomoshibi!" he heard someone yell, the voice echoing throughout the valley. The cloudy heavens themselves seemed to split open for golden light to swim through, gracing the land with its beauty…

And making every last one of his forces to screech in terror…

He merely grunted… they thought this was strong? They thought this was intimidating him?! He would show them power…

He slammed his palms together…

"**Makaiton: Kagirinai Ankoku (Hell Release: Eternal Darkness)!!" **he roared and the light seemed to vanish as the skies closed once more, the clouds becoming seemingly thicker, the land growing darker by the second…

In a bare minute, the blackness had swallowed everything…

In here, in this darkness, he could sense them, all of them… small beacons of the accursed light, he could feel each and everyone fool that set foot in his small kingdom…

And they would die… they would all die…

XxxxX

Dankan had done a good job. Reinforcements had arrived just at the nick of time. A minute or two more and he would have been forced to fight all these monsters on his own.

His technique had bought him some time, some really small yet so valuable time. But now, he wasn't so sure if it was the right move…

For the counter-technique was far more powerful that his, far more resilient and far more effective. He could feel those red eyes boring into him, peering in his very soul…

He shook his head. There was no time for this.

He prepared some more hand-seals…

XxxxX

"**Slaughter them all!!" **he roared in the darkness and with him roared his mighty mount as well. His forces mobilized swiftly at his command, they themselves able to feel their master's extended sensitivity against their opponents.

It only took half a minute for the battle to begin…

XxxxX

Roughly one hundred men had arrived to help him. They where no match for the army before them though…

The damn demons seemed to decent from the very sky, the warriors on his side calling upon the Light and all their skill to face them without dying from the start. Someone fell on his side… he didn't see who it was, neither did he have time. His hands kept running through a set of hand seals, long as it was…

This technique might as well kill him, had he used more of his chakra already. He at least hoped that his brothers would be decent enough to carry him out of the battlefield…

If he finished the technique, and _if _he survived, that is.

XxxxX

"Right flank! They're coming through the right flank!" yelled one of the defenders as demons and undead alike started swarming through the side he pointed.

A man jumped in front of him, a blazing golden mace in his hands as he started smashing anything within range, body parts and even smashed heads flying all around. Thankfully, none of the aforementioned parts belonged to their side…

"Come on yer bloody bastards! I'll show ye how we have fun here!" he taunted the monsters and they charged at him with screeches and vehement grunts and roars accompanying.

Slamming the flat side of his mace to the ground… the earth seemed to shook as light started pouring out of the concrete…

"Meimeiton…"

Rocks and chunks of earth separated themselves from the ground and rose, only to hover in the air, the golden light keeping its rise adamant even as the monstrosities of undeath kept rushing towards the caster…

The whole land around the man now seemed like an alien ground, washed in light with darkness hovering all around it, the pieces of earth floating peacefully above…

The man rose his mace and slammed a foot the ground…

"Shinpanhi (Judgement Day)!!" and with that, the otherwise peacefully floating rocks began soaring with tremendous speed, slamming into his opponents and killing most of them instantly…

It wasn't long before the whole area was littered with corpses…

XxxxX

"What do you think is going on?" Sakura asked in genuine curiosity. Occasionally they would feel a small earthquake or hear an intense high-pitched screech that seemed to come from a far away distance. But nothing could really tell them what was going on in that battle. Or even what kind of battle it was…

"As it is, we can only assume…" Itachi was sitting cross legged at a corner, his brother right beside him. Both Uchihas sat still as they meditated, the frequent quakes of the earth hardly a circumstance of notice for them both. It was a surprise, to say the least, both that they chose to do this on a time like this, and the fact that Itachi kept his mind outwards as well…

The wonders of the Sharingan, it seemed…

"Don't worry guys, I'm sure Rikou will kick their ass!" Naruto exclaimed with a wide grin, earning a grunt from both Uchiha's, and a glare and worried look from Sakura and Hinata respectively.

"Naruto, you barely know the old man! How can you be so sure in his abilities whatsoever?" was the exasperated question that came from the pinked. She liked her friend, she really did, but sometimes, especially in times of peril like this, she frequently questioned if he even used his brain to form these exclamations of trust.

And to a stranger no less!

Sighing, she let it slide as she sat back down, another earthquake fazing her ever so slightly.

"Hey, at least I'm trying to look on the good side! If Dankan trusts in this man, then so do I" Naruto nodded, satisfied at his own conclusion and trusting in his newfound friend.

Sakura paid him no more mind as she drifted off herself, looking outside the only window of the room, the red curtains that decorated it dancing slightly at the little yet frequent quakes of the earth. Resting both hands on the windowsill, her eyes gazed over the darkness that seemed to hover around a mile away from them. Thunder seemed to strike every now and then around the shadowy area, it's powerful roar being only an echo from this distance.

Naruto crossed one leg over the other as he leaned back in his chair, said legs resting on the long table before him. Hinata, who happened to sit next to him and gazing over Sakura and the outside world, momentarily wondered if he would fall back…

They had killed the lights from the moment Rikou and Dankan left. The only light that illuminated the room where a few candles that decorated the table and the walls. It really gave the impression of a haunted mansion… was it not for the tardiness and cleanness that conquered all that is. Come on, what kind of ghost would live in such a clean place anyway?

'_I would…' _the Hyuuga runaway thought, a snicker escaping her lips at the thought. Ghosts couldn't touch, so how would she clean the mansion she 'haunted' anyway? Wait, these women-like ghosts before seemed concrete enough…

Concrete enough to kill you, that is.

"Hm? What is it?" Naruto asked, a hint of amusement in his voice as he glanced over at Hinata. His golden locks where gently caressing his face, no headband there to restrict them any longer. She blushed at the mere sight of him, his jacket slightly open, signs of dirt barely visible here and there in the dim light. She snickered again… she wouldn't look any better right now, anyway.

"Um, nothing, Naruto-kun. Just thinking…" she said, a small smile on her face.

"Oh my God, you can do that too??" he asked, his expression so amazed and questioning that for a moment she thought he meant it…

The wide grin that came afterwards broke that thought almost immediately…

"Stop it" she giggled as she punched him playfully on the shoulder

"Ouch! I think my arm's broken, I'm gonna die!" he whined loudly and she giggled even more, he getting his legs off the table and dramatically pretending to be going through perilous pain…

Needless to say, the twin grunts that came from the Uchiha's went unnoticed…

"Doctor, all I can see is blue and green globes!" Naruto dramatically exclaimed once more as he clang on Sakura, said girl's eyebrow twitching violently in a threatening way… she only held herself because Hinata seemed to enjoy the scene… if her breathless laughter was any indication that is.

"Have you seen an optician?"

"No, only blue and green globes!"

Hinata laughed even more, trying desperately to bring her laughter under control, if only to be free to breath again. Naruto really seemed to enjoy this… slim where the times when the Hyuuga would laugh, let alone roar in it.

Another earthquake, this time a notch stronger than the other ones, allowed them all to remember the situation they where really in. There was a battle only a mile away from them… people were dying…

And if those men were defeated, and that enemy came after them next…

They just stood no chance.

XxxxX

"Defend him! Defend him with your lives!!" One of them shouted, his cowl down and a silver circlet gracing his forehead, circling around his head, restricting his short yet straight red hair. His companions battled relentlessly around him, screams of pain and clashes of blades echoing in the darkness above, the pandemonium that conquered the land a sight to behold.

They never expected him to move so soon… so fast. They had lined up every available soldier of the moment and went straight to the front line. How could this happen…? How could _he _be on the move and they having noticed not?

Something was amiss… but there was no time to contemplate on such matters in the heat of battle, that much he knew. Gripping his sword even more tightly, the red-headed lieutenant turned a full circle in a whirlwind of chaos as he spread death on the demons that surrounded him. He dared spare a glance at Rikou, who was still running through hand signs, quickly and carefully. A glimmering spherical golden shield surrounded his body as the old man tried to finish his spell.

He really hoped he would do it. It was their only chance to hold them off here…

For now.

XxxxX

'_A little more… just a little more…' _he was entering the final string, the last line of signs to complete it…

'_Rat, Ox, Dragon, Dragon, Rat, Tiger, Snake, Rat…' _it was one of the most complicated and long jutsus he knew. But should he finish it…

It would hold them back, it should hold them back…

He hoped it would hold them back.

XxxxX

His blades blazed with searing fire as he cut through the monsters like a knife through butter. Little resistance his swords met against the seemingly heavy armor most of them wore.

'_Tsk, demon armor these days…'_ he absentmindedly thought amidst the blood and blade clashes that where everywhere. To every direction, to every single spot that the eye could see, there they where. Demons, undead, monsters, ghosts, everything. They soared through the sky and tore the earth apart in their wake. One he could kill and three would rise to take his place.

Unfortunately, the same didn't occur with their own forces. One of them would fall, only to return to serve the darkness moments later…

It was a lesson drilled into them… if a comrade fell in battle and was raised as an undead, he was to be exterminated immediately. Friends and lovers alike had to kill each other in such perilous circumstances, hard choices that where made if only for the perseverance of what humanity still lied within their former allies. And here he was, in one of these circumstances, that he had to kill his very allies when they rose from the ground to serve the darkness…

It was his duty, he reminded himself, to destroy them. The moment they became undead, it was within his very oath to smite them down again.

But that didn't mean he would enjoy it. That didn't mean that he would take pleasure in slaughtering what was once his friends…

A lone tear escaped his grey eyes, as Dankan drove his blade in yet another demon, then forcing it upwards, slicing the beast in half…

They would pay… they would all pay… one day…

XxxxX

Fools… what fools they where indeed… they dared oppose him? And with only a hundred of warriors?

He laughed, his dark laughter echoing throughout the valley, piercing into every soul and mind that dared hear it.

His armies counted in the millions! His forces where infinite… for none would outnumber the demons.

None.

This was only a small portion… a taste for these fools, to see how futile their defenses were. To see how fragile and weak their faith really was. To see that the Light that they worshiped was nothing! He would slaughter them all… to the last man, woman, and child alike.

His skeletal dragon roared, as if in agreement with its master's wicked thoughts. The man looked down upon the battlefield once more… lighting was thrown here and there, yells of fury and screeches of madness, screams of pain and cries of sorrow…

Oh, it was all music to his ears! He savored the moment, taking in every last sound, every last scream…

This was just the beginning, he thought, for soon… yes, very soon, these screams would echo through the land tenfold!

"I always said that you where a sadistic bastard… I guess we're not so different after all…" he heard a voice behind. This was getting old… why would people ride his dragon behind his back like that, anyway?

This time, he didn't waste time with speech. His blade went immediately for whomever dared approach him like that. Yet instead of hitting the offender's waist and cutting him in half, a mighty clash of blades could be heard as two mighty swords grinded against each other.

His red eyes narrowed behind the darkness that covered his face, the only sign of disbelief that he would allow to be showed.

"**You…" **the other man smirked as his white hair danced around his face with a blow of the wind.

"You?" his blue eyes had a tint of question in them…

"**Yes, you." **His red gaze narrowed even more

"I said 'you'. What did YOU say?"

"**No, I said 'you' and then you said you" **

"But if I said 'you' then who said 'me'?"

"**You said you, when you had to say me." **He quickly realized what he was doing… his eyes narrowed to the point that Hakai could swear they became slits…

"**Don't MESS WITH ME!" **he roared and drew his blade back, this time rushing forward, intent on piercing the armored man before him. Said man only sidestepped the attack, it missing completely.

He had no time to strike back though as the leader of evil quickly made a turn, his blade once more horizontally going for his neck.

He parried once more, his own blade glowing with a soft purple glow…

"Itchy as ever… you haven't changed, Yaku…" his sickening trademark smirk accompanied these words…

"**You're still an arrogant fool, Hakai…" **anger and frustration were evident in his otherworldly voice.

The moment their blades disconnected each man launched a barrage of sword strikes in any point of their opponent's body that was visible. Each strike was met with a parry or a dodge, each counterstrike having the same fate. Their blades where only a flurry, their bodies a blur in this lethal wild dance…

Hakai drew back, only to launch forward once more, the skeletal body of the dragon the concrete for his foot to meet with every step he took. He drove his blade forward, aiming for his opponent's heart…

The blade connected, edging deep within his chest.

Yet Yaku only vanished in the darkness…

A malevolent chuckle echoed around the cries of battle that heated the air.

"**It seems that you have forgotten, who is superior in here, Hakai…"**

The sound of a blade piercing through armor… Hakai looked down on his chest, bloodied as it was with a wide, dark sword puncturing from the wound.

But his smirk did not falter…

As he too vanished in the shadows.

"And you have forgotten, Yaku, that when it comes to me, it works both ways…" his smirk was wide as ever as he pointed the tip of his blade to the neck of his opponent, a slight movement enough to pierce the chain mail that covered the fragile skin.

The man named Yaku seemed to sigh, titling his head downwards.

"It always comes to this, doesn't it…" his voice suddenly seemed normal, the voice of a young man maybe in his thirties.

"**Hakai!"** with a sudden twist, his own sword collided with Hakai's, sending said swordsman's sword away. Using the momentum of his whirl, Yaku charged forward, aiming for Hakai's exposed neck.

With a grunt, the offended man let himself fall to the side, letting himself fall off the dragon…

Yaku quickly looked down as his blade hit nothing but air. Damn him! Damn him to hell! He escaped again!

He knew that he wouldn't follow him… he would never expose himself in such an insignificant battle. Hovering in the skies and striking fear in the hearts of his enemies as his demons obliterated all was what he did most of the time. Only dire circumstances would demand his appearance.

That was what he was taught… that was what he knew. Frighten your enemy, weaken them, and then strike their fragile form with all your might, crushing them into nothingness.

"**Run… run while you can…" **he could feel Hakai's presence clearly within this small kingdom of darkness. The man seemed to retreat away from the battle swiftly, the demons seemingly paying him no mind and neither doing the warriors that stood valiantly against them.

"**But you won't run forever…" **he shook his head, returning to guide his dragon…

"**Brother…"**

XxxxX

'_It is finished!'_ he thought, a glimmer of hope and joy in his heart as these words crossed his mind. His hands had settled in a seal that seemed to resemble the kanji of 'Angel'.

"**Meimeiton…"**

The earth around him seemed to shook, violent it was…

"**Ichidou… (**Shrine**)"** in front of him, a statue seemed to rise, the earth tearing apart to allow it entrance in the world, it glimmering with light, it's form perfect, a masterpiece of sculpture. Long hair cascaded down its back, a kimono gracing its figure, its feet bare, two wings widely open behind it…

"**no Kouken (**of the Guardian**)!!"** the glimmering light around the female statue began shining mightily, brighter and brighter by the second. And then it exploded outwards…

The forces of evil screeched in despair as a wall of light shot outwards from the sides of the statue, going beyond the walls of the valley they where in and stretching across the land…

No demon remained alive from behind the statue, the ones that survived screeching in fear and falling back, away from the shining light and away from the bright wall.

Their leader from above looked down at the barrier… and then upwards. It seemed to stretch to the heavens…

Grunting, he jumped down from the dragon, landing with a thud on the ground. Slow steps brought him towards the barrier, the light that shone something that he could stand with ease. He looked upwards again…

His **Eternal Darkness **technique seemed to have vanished from the side behind the wall, also gradually retreating from his side as well. His glimmering red eyes narrowed as a gloved hand reached out to touch the barrier…

It was immediately shot back, lighting striking his gauntlet the moment his fingers made contact.

With a grunt of annoyance, he turned around, starting to walk away…

"**This isn't over…"** he whispered to himself…

XxxxX

Rikou panted heavily as he tried to catch his breath, hands supporting him, preventing his body from hitting the ground.

"I… I did it…" breathless, he looked upwards once more, smiling at the now hovering statue. It's hands where stretched eastwards and westwards respectively, the wall of light stretching outwards from them.

He looked beyond the walls of light and at the retreating masses of monstrosities, the back of their leader facing towards them, he walking away slowly, his heavy boots echoing on the rocky ground…

His eyes furrowed. That man hadn't joined the fight all along…

Sighing, he let his hands bend, finally able to rest within the peace unconsciousness offered…

Yet before his body could hit the ground, a pair of hands came to grab him from behind, turning him around and gently laying him with his back on the hard earth.

Dankan smiled fondly at his teacher's now peaceful form.

'_Damn old man… had to use two S techniques in one go… stupid' _his mental berating stayed only within his mind as his smile widened a little. Looking around him, he was glad to see that their own casualties weren't that severe…

"Dankan…" he heard a voice behind him and titled his head to the side, his dull grey eyes falling on a red-headed man. Wasn't he the lieutenant of this division…?

"Ah… Gaki…"

"… I've told you countless times not to call me that…"

"Whatever, Gaki"

"It's Kaki (Fire) damn it! And what are you looking at?!" he yelled towards Dankan and the crowd that had started to gather (and distinctly snicker at the nickname).

"Anyways, we have to leave Dankan. The barrier Rikou-sempai set up took a lot out of him and he probably needs immediate care" Kaki had a point. Barrier and area-of-effect techniques took a lot more chakra than pin-point ones.

And he just had to go and use the S class ones… But Kaki, along with everyone else who faced off these monsters today, knew that if he hadn't, they would probably be slaughtered in a matter of minutes.

Their mistake was that they underestimated them… toyed with them… the dragon-rider had sent forward only a portion of his army. If they had all swarmed at once…

No… they wouldn't stand a chance for real.

But, all had ended well and hopefully…

They would survive to see the end of this.

XxxxX

"The earthquakes… have stopped…" Sakura commented and everyone looked at her, she now sitting by the window on a chair she pulled over, the thunders and the darkness being no more, the echoes of battle a memory of the past.

Naruto and Hinata also sat at one end of the table, Naruto at the head with Hinata at his side, playing with the wood and seeming…

Well, bored.

But this news seemed to bring a speck of life in her as she worriedly glanced around. Dankan and Rikou could show up anytime… she wished they did.

Naruto became apprehensive as he started mumbling to himself…

As for Itachi and Sasuke, the Uchiha brother's seemed to have a staring contest…

Sharingan activated and all.

For what reason they just stared at each other, none of the other three knew. They had just began this right after they meditated…

Naruto had a feeling that Sasuke was becoming a little weird after Itachi became his 'brother' again, aside from being the 'traitor'.

Maybe it was his way to show that he was happy. Oh well…

But still… why did things have to come this way? What if Dankan and Rikou had been killed in that battle? And what was he doing while they were putting their lives on the line? He was sitting here doing _nothing _at _all!_ He wanted to fight, he wanted to help!

Okay, he wasn't doing exactly nothing… he was making Hinata laugh her heart out ten minutes ago…

It was a quick battle, it had lasted maybe half an hour…

But had they won? Or did they…

He felt something warm on his hand and slowly looked at it. Blinking, he realized that there was another hand on _his _hand. How did that get there anyway…?

Oh, stupid… the moment he spotted the lavender-white sleeve he realized it was Hinata. And her hand was soft… and warm…

Why did everything about her have to be warm…?

And this feeling…

He shook his head. Now was not the time to contemplate on such… trivial… matters…

"Naruto-kun, I'm sure they're ok" he heard her soft voice (yeah, even her voice!) and looked up, a pair of lavender eyes trying to reassure him, a pale hand tightening around his, as if trying to show him that hope was there, no, not hope. It was reality. Dankan and Rikou couldn't die… they just couldn't…

He couldn't lose a friend now… he couldn't lose Jiraiya again…

A lone tear escaped his eyes and he smiled at her, a blush suddenly emitting from her face, triggered by his response to her attempt to comfort him…

"Yeah… thanks, Hinata…"

"Awww… what are we guys? A Shoujo manga or something?" a cocky voice said from behind and Naruto immediately felt a vein bulging on his forehead…

Dankan (guess how) found himself lying on the opposite wall, Naruto's fist outstretched and his face red with embarrassment… and anger, of course.

"Teme! We worry about whether you're alive or not, and you come in bumbling about mangas!" Dankan rubbed his jaw, a small grin on his face and his golden hair made up in a loose ponytail.

It was then that something occurred to Naruto as well…

"Where's Rikou…?" he asked mostly himself as he looked around, searching for the kind man. Looking back at Dankan, he didn't fail to notice that tears almost made their way to his eyes…

'… _no…'_

"Rikou… he… he… he used a lot of chakra for these techniques… I saw him on the ground… but… now… now…" Dankan hid his eyes with his fists, sobbing in grief…

Naruto couldn't help the tears that started rising… and the sympathy he felt for a fellow pupil who lost his teacher…

"Now his taken to the city for recovery reasons. Man, that geezer surely likes pushing himself…" all signs of grief and sadness disappeared as Dankan's usual cheerful and laid back nature came back to life…

He once more found himself stuck on the opposite wall from the one he fell the first time (how original)

Both Sakura and Hinata held a raging Naruto back… he never liked it when people played with his mind… or feelings.

"Heh, sorry 'bout that. I just couldn't resist" Dankan laughed as he sat up once again. Looking down, he didn't fail to notice the forms of the Uchiha brothers… still staring at each other… Sharingan and all.

He waved a hand in front of their faces… no expression. He poked their heads… no reaction.

"Um… what's up with 'em?"

"Don't know, but it's the longest staring contest I've ever seen"

"Have you seen many contests like this… Naruto?" her tone was incredulous

"Uhh… no?"

Sigh "Forget it…"

As Naruto tried to pry out what Sakura meant, and Hinata tried to calm him down, Dankan just kept fidgeting with the siblings, making grimaces before their faces and yet getting no reaction from them.

Putting a hand in Itachi's pocket… ah, there it is!

He brought out a shiny, silver machine… Itachi's photograph machine!

With a wide grin now gracing his face, he took plenty of pictures of the two brothers staring at each other with their Sharingan on, the trio of Sakura hitting Naruto on the head, he bending and Hinata worriedly looking down at him on the background, was all captured within the machine of eternity…

'_Wow… cool name'_

XxxxX

"So… where are we going now?" Naruto asked, clearly tired. After they had (finally) managed to awaken Sasuke and Itachi, they had left the quiet wooden house for purposes only Dankan was aware of.

Said man smirked to himself.

"Why, to the village of course!" his voice was full of glee and pride, turning to face the others with a wide grin.

"Village? What village?" Sakura's pump on his head was almost immediate…

"Tomogakure no Sato you moron! That's the village we were looking for all along!" she yelled, disbelieving at how far Naruto's lack of brains could go.

Naruto begrudgingly ignored her as he gazed up in the sky…

It was getting dark…

The afternoon sun was now diving behind the ridges of the Valley of Lost Souls, hiding itself away from the world, the star of the night visible in the sky even now.

"Hey, Dankan" the man regarded him with a slight turn of his head

"How far is it?"

"Oh… well, by foot from here, it must be around half an hour" he said, raising a hand to cup his chin. Naruto grunted but was glad that they didn't have lots of ways to go. At last… at long last, their traveling would be over, they would finally meet their destination! They would finally leave Konoha behind…

For good.

He briefly wondered how everyone back there where doing… Lee, Tenten, Ino, Chouji, Kiba, Shikamaru, Kakashi, Tsunade… all of them. He sighed, knowing that it would be a long time before he would meet his friends back there again…

He grunted once more in annoyance at the mere thought of Danzo. That man… how he wished he could just go and rip his throat out. But, ripping throats wasn't something good people did, right? No, he wouldn't become a monster for his sake… he wouldn't let himself fall to the level of being what people thought of him as. He would show them all… one day, maybe not as the Hokage, but he would.

Amidst his reminiscing, he noted that they had left the lifeless valley and entered what seemed like a forest…

XxxxX

Itachi and Sasuke remained silent as Sakura and Hinata admired the beauty of nature that surrounded them, Naruto still lost in his own thoughts as he walked a couple of steps behind Dankan, said man leading the group within the overwhelming greenness…

One thought the Konoha ninjas unknowingly shared, was that this forest reminded them of their home…

After another ten minutes of walking and silent admiration, among thoughts and worries, mixed feelings and cheerful remarks from a certain robed man, they finally seemed to reach the edge of the forest as the night began to show itself, more stars now glimmering in the darkened sky, the moon dancing amidst dark clouds and galling winds.

Dankan took one step outside…

"Well guys… here we are…" his grin was so wide, that if they could see it they would surely think that his head would be cut in half.

He turned around, his eyes shining with endless glee and satisfaction… hell, even Itachi was gaping!

Before them, maybe a kilometer away, was a mountain so tall that you thought it touched the sky. And right at its base it was…

A village… no, more like a city, that seemed to be build right at the foot of the mountain, mighty walls rising and surrounding it, the city's shape creating a half-ring as it climbed another kilometer or two, the peak of it having what looked like an edged cliff…

The illuminating lights of said city in the night made it look like a dotted sculpture made by the Gods…

"Welcome" he said as he turned forward once more.

"To Tomogakure no Sato" his feet surged forward…

'_The village hidden in the Light…'_

XxxxX

**A/N: Aaaaaand... TENTH CHAPTER IS FINISH!! Woo, the second story that I manage to bring to its tenth chapter ;p Let's see how much further I can go =) I'd like to thank everyone who has been supporting me until here and I have to apologize if I let you guys down with my slow updates... what can I say, no real excuses, I'm just a lazy guy who hopes that his stories are good reading material ;p (warning: If you want a good picture of Tomogakure, try imagining Minas Tirith from Lord of the Rings... that city's just too cool!)  
**

**Btw, you might have noticed that most of the time, the chapter's title doesn't make sense or isn't compatible with the chapter's content... oh well, that's just me ;p I like cool sounding titles... ^-^**

**SPOILER ALERT - SPOILER ALERT (YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!! Don't read if you haven't read Naruto Manga chapter 450!!!)**

**OMFG, Danzo as Rokudaime??? Wtf, how original, I've seen this on so many fanfics! Still, it was always a bright, shining possibility that none would ignore... but I have a nudging feeling that Kishimoto has a lot of things left to say... Naruto still has ways to go! Gz for us =) NaruHina is also bound to happen now that our girl has confessed, so what remains for us poor author's to do? ;p**

**SPOILER END (sorry, I just had to take that out of my system ;p)**

**That said, I'd be grateful if you guys dropped a review =P I don't know, I just look at the number of reviews my story has and I think 'Wow, my story has a bunch of reviews, I gotta work so I won't let people down!' it works to pump me up enough to start writing... and when I start, sooner or later I will be done ;p**

**As always, any questions you might pose I'll be happy to answer. **

**NEXT CHAPTER: City of Light**

**Naruto and company get a tour within the village that almost none knew about. There they'll learn things that humans thought impossible... there, Naruto will start his new life with his friends. A new beginning...**

**So, the next chapter will be an overview of Tomo with lotsa comical (at least I think they are ;p) circumstances, little action, LOTS OF FEELINGS (Geeze, I gotta put Romance in there too sometime, don't I?) and what's with Rikou's past? How come he looks so much like Jiraiya?? All shall be revealed... in dew time ;p (Oh God help me...)**

**Till we meet again,**

**Yours,  
HoNdeR All Mighty**

**PS: (Hope you enjoyed the chapter! my god, I'm really talkative... and it's one past midnight here... 'yawn')  
**


	11. Chapter 11: City of Light Part One

**A/N: Minor plot holes might be noticed, like the date or little things I might forget. If anyone notices anything weird, please make do and contact me so I can fix it ^-^**

**Let us continue our journey...  
**

_**Towards The Heaven**_

_**Chapter 11: City of Light**_

_**Part One**_

"What of it?" asked a husky old voice. Before him was kneeled a warrior in dark armor, his thorny helmet locked between his waist and hand, his head bowed, be it respect or fear, none knew.

"You failed yet once again. And what was your obligation? To conquer a foolish, empty valley. And yet you were defeated…" the man was sitting on what seemed to be a throne, his chuckle evidence of his disbelief.

"Forgive me milord… they had unexpected preparations for us…"

"Silence!" the few other figures that were illuminated within the deem light of the room could easily be seen shivering at the shout. The kneeled man though didn't falter for an instance.

"Regardless of what your opponent had, 'prepared', the fact remains that you failed to take over the valley. And from what? A handful of knights? That was all it took to stop you?" he was leaning forward, a pale red his old eyes were, peering towards the kneeled warrior, expecting an explanation, a comeback, anything.

The man in question grunted silently as he looked up, long black hair caressing his back and shoulders.

His eyes where a deep color of red…

"We didn't expect them to have a Shrine there! The damn banshees where supposed to prevent them from building any defense line in that valley! And yet they did!" his anger was evident as he began standing up, said anger clearly directed towards the old man on the throne… and his own foolishness.

"You must have been taught a long time ago, that the unexpected is part of war. You should always be prepared for anything, even the earth tearing in half to swallow you!" his frustration equaled that of the one before him, said younger man gritting his teeth.

With a small sigh, he stood straighter

A fist on his chest.

"The next time we meet, none of them will survive. Every last fiber of life will be decimated, their city will lie in nothing but dust! I shall slaughter anyone who stands in my way! This I vow!" his voice was intimidating, his red gaze piercing and relentless as he gave this oath before his lord.

Said man only sighed… he knew well what such words meant. It was an ancient tradition… an unbreakable tradition.

"You are aware of what awaits shall you fail, are you not?" he asked slowly, his voice holding a tad of softness, sadness, disbelief, a mixture of emotions that staid void on his old features though…

The man nodded, his will unwavering.

"I am well aware of the consequences… but I worry about them not." He quickly turned around, walking towards the exit of the chamber…

"I will not fail…" he whispered to himself as he stepped outside, the dark sky of the night above him…

XxxxX

"Guys… we're really ought to get going, you know" Dankan said, eyes disbelieving at the fact that they _still _gaped at the city. He looked back at said town… nope, still same old Tomogakure… what the hell, it wasn't as if there was some kind of godly light falling down on its pristine walls and making it glitter otherworldly… ok he was taking it a little far… yeah, it was kind of a big city… there was also that mountain that it's tip would touch the clouds…

'_Hmm, must be the moon…' _he thought with a shrug as he noticed the pale star in the sky, shining down upon the city with clouds hovering around it. Well, it was a beautiful night. Wait, where did the sunset go…?

'_Damn time flies so quickly…'_

XxxxX

After Dankan finally got them out of their daze, Itachi already being out of it after a matter of a minute, they finally started walking towards their destination.

It was only then that they really noticed the farmlands that surrounded the city. They had expected it, nonetheless. A far away township like this with no ties on the outside world surely would need a way to produce food for itself.

The farmlands seemed to go all the way around the city, covering the fields with a variety of plants and foods. Small farmhouses could be spotted here and there, some having their lights on and some not. Corn, wheat, even an orchard could be seen in the distance.

"Wow, you guys are really self preserving…" Naruto spoke his mind, earning the attention of everyone around him, before they turned to Dankan to hear his response.

Said man chuckled "Well, we don't have all kinds of food in Tomogakure, we are limited to what the nature around us can offer, along with the help of the Light." He let a happy sigh escape his lips as he thought of his home, proud as he was of it.

"Uhh…"

"No, we don't have electricity here, Naruto. It's not that we lack the technology… but the Light is far more useful and less of a bane to natural resources. What we could spend on creating energy generators, we use to build other useful things, mainly developing our agriculture. It's what we live from, anyway." He shrugged, their feet on the wide dirt road the only sound of the night.

"You don't look much of a farmer" Sasuke whispered, Sakura who walked besides him noticing the note of tiredness that accompanied his words. She extended one hand, gripping his and entwining their fingers. He looked at her with sleepy eyes, and she only smiled encouragingly.

Dankan, on the other hand, only smirked as he heard his little comment.

"As I said, farming is what we live from. In this town, there is a variety of jobs you can do, civilian or not." He said, raising a finger in the air as if he was about to give a lecture. The four teenagers had a flashback of Iruka for a moment…

"I am part of the military, if you will. My job is to protect and serve Tomogakure, as well as police it. Unlike the other 'hidden' villages…" he briefly wondered how one could call a village 'hidden', when nearly everyone in the world knew where it was…

"We greatly value our citizens and their jobs. If I'm not mistaken, the job of a ninja is one of high esteem in Konoha, am I wrong?" the others only shook their heads in agreement as he looked back at them.

"Here in Tomo, one should be proud whatever his contribution to community is. Even the ones that clean the city are people who deserve respect. Imagine your village if it had no street cleaners for example." They all had the image of Konoha flashing through their minds, it drown in countless garbage and dirt, the stink of them all reaching the heavens.

They resisted the urge to wrinkle their nose…

Dankan nodded to himself "Being in the military is just another job, you know. My father always said that I should follow the career that most intrigues me… well, so I did" he turned and grinned widely at them.

"Oh, by the way, in our military we have different ranks than ninjas do" that perked everyone's attention. They had now entered a paved road, it leading straight for the gates of the city. They could already see it as they came closer, step by step.

"Clerics here could be considered Genin. They usually help around town or in the rituals and generally, they are considered mere foot soldiers when it comes to battle." Everyone nodded in understanding.

"Then comes the lieutenants. It might look like a high jump in rank, but it's not that easy to change ranks here, as it is in your system." They all reminded themselves how easily they had gone from Genin to Chuunin… well, easy for Itachi. Naruto and the others had to take the Chuunin exam again due to… unlucky circumstances.

"Lieutenants are field commanders. In battle their job is to guide the troops and generally boost their morale. A lieutenant is considered an average when it comes in combat prowess, but that's only the word of mouth. There are elite people who stayed at the rank of lieutenant because their leading capabilities in the field are high. So, short to speak, the first level of ranks doesn't clearly show your skill."

He really seemed to like hearing himself talk, didn't he?

They where only a few minutes away from the gate.

"There's also the Captain rank in the First level. They are the elite of the foot army and also, leaders of it. The lieutenants are considered second in command. Captains are also known to have a good handle on how to use the Light. Their superiors are only the Second level ones…"

He took in a deep breath.

"But, I think I'll leave all these for tomorrow. You guys must be tired, right?" he asked with a smile. Everyone really wondered where the hell did he find the energy to be so cheerful… wasn't he in a life and death situation mere hours ago…?

"What are you talking about? We still have plenty…" a loud thoud followed these words as Naruto fell face first to the ground. Strangely enough, the impact didn't seem to affect the sudden state of sleep he got himself into in the least.

After everyone managed to reduce their diner-plate sized eyes (except Itachi of course) to normal, Itachi easily picked Naruto up and placed him on one shoulder. That being done, they all made the final steps towards the gate…

Dankan raised a hand, and with precise movements drew a symbol on the large wooden barrier. The symbol for 'Door' glittered brightly before dissipating, leaving a smaller wooden door behind. Well, small in comparison to the whole gate, that is.

"The gates are closed during nightfall to prevent unwanted intrusions. But, there is always the small door available for night travelers…" he pushed and the door smoothly slid open, the group easily heading straight inside.

The gate immediately led to a large plaza, what seemed to be stores and houses surrounding it, a fountain with rising water in the middle and a sculpture of what looked like a warrior holding his blade high manufactures on the face of a large and tall rock. Three pathways seemed to lead deeper inside the now sleeping community…

Dankan stretched, a grunt leaving his lips.

"Well guys, it would really be a pain to get you good accommodations right now, seeing you all tired like that" he said, eyeing them all from head to toe, easily noticing their fatigue…

"I suggest you find an inn. The night is young and I'm sure plenty are still open" he threw at them a few silver coins and they all looked at them questioningly…

"What did you expect? Yen?" he laughed "We have a silver mine right behind the city, that has been working for over a hundred years now. It is said that the silver never runs out…" he shrugged "so we cut our own coin. This should be enough for all of you to stay one night."

"This is all I can do for you now. Don't worry, I'll find you again tomorrow morning. G'night" with a wave and an ever-cheerful grin, he vanished in a flash of light.

Itachi sighed as he griped the coins in his hand. Four silver coins… one for each of them? If he wasn't mistaken, Silver was quite a valuable material in old times where coins were made from metal. His expression remained emotionless at the man's kindness though… Dankan probably wanted them to get the best available bed for the night…

With a small grunt, he started walking forward, Naruto still on one shoulder, said boy snoring loudly. Damn Dankan… he had forgotten to mention were they could find an inn… this place was big!

But he supposed it wouldn't be that hard…

XxxxX

After they walked for a couple of minutes around town, they finally found what they were looking for.

"Traveler's Refuge…" Sakura read the sign as Itachi, Sasuke and Hinata walked inside. She didn't waste any time as she herself strode forward and in the cozy structure…

Cozy it was indeed. A fireplace could be seen at the far wall, an old lady gently warming her hands on it, another lady sitting in the opposite chair and doing the same, said women chatting quietly.

The bulky innkeeper seemed to polish a glass of beer as he sat behind on a wooden stool behind hiscounter**,** whistling quietly, a variety of drinks, alcoholic or not, resting behind him in neat rows of shelves. The floor was wooden and so seemed to be the rest of the building. It gave off the calming scent of a forest, along with the coziness of a warm home in a cold winter night. The patrons themselves seemed ordinary people, adult men and women chatting happily around their tables and drinking various kinds of beverages. The inn was quite alive tonight, it seemed.

No one seemed to pay any mind to the weirdly, from their perspective, strangers. Unlike them, who were all dressed in shinobi gear, these people were dressed in ordinary citizen or farmer clothing, some wearing expensive attires and some simple cotton ones. All in all, it seemed as if this place was a heaven for anyone, no matter his appearance, age or gender.

They quietly walked towards the innkeeper, said man lifting his eyes from the glass to look at them. A hint of bewilderment crossed his features before joy took over…

He cleared his throat "Welcome to the Traveler's Refuge, how can I help you tonight my friend's?" he said in a kind, deep voice. He seemed to wear a commoner's clothing, though it seemed kind of heavy. Come to think of it, wasn't winter coming along already…?

"We are looking for two rooms, two beds in each would be preferable, if available of course." The taller and expressionless one of the group said in a calm and cool voice, letting the four silver coins Dankan had given him fall on the counter. The innkeeper took them and brought one close to his eye, examining it for anything suspicious.

Biting it and seeing that it didn't bent, his grin became wide as ever.

"Well, of course. Glad you chose us for spending your night" he hummed happily as he turned around, grabbing two keys and handing them to Itachi

"Your rooms are right upstairs, the two to the left. Food is not served here, but we have plenty of drinks if you'd like" the innkeeper said with yet another big smile. Itachi nodded to him before going off towards the stairs that lied on the opposite side of the fireplace…

The girls smiled at the kind man before following after Itachi, Sasuke too tired to even hide the expression that came with said lack of energy.

Thankfully for their aching legs, the stairs weren't many and they soon found themselves before their respective doors. Looking inside both rooms, there seemed to be not much of a decoration. Only two beds lying a foot afar from one another, each room connected with it's own bath. Come to think of it, it was a pretty large inn if the number of hallways was any indication.

Itachi handed one key to Hinata and she nodded with a small smile before walking inside the first room after the stairs, Sakura following behind swiftly, not forgetting a goodnight kiss to Sasuke before retiring for the night. She giggled quietly as it seemed that the teen still had the energy to blush…

"It was a tiring journey, wasn't it?" Hinata commented with a wry smile, remembering all they did before they managed to get here, their destination…

"Yeah, I guess it was" Sakura commented as she took a couple of scrolls out of her waistband. Unrolling them on the wooden floor, she pressed a hand on both before whispering 'kai'. A small poof of smoke accompanied this word and swiftly as it dissipated, two backpacks revealed themselves.

"Oh, so you had them in storage scrolls all this time?" Hinata asked, quite disbelieving.

"You think I would get into that forest with our things out in the open? Haven't you seen any movies? People _always _lose their things in dark places like this. I didn't want to lose mine…" she replied with a pout. Hinata giggled, realizing that all this time neither she nor any of their three other companions had noticed the lack of weight their backpacks normally gave. She wondered when exactly did Sakura do this…

"I gave Naruto's and Sasuke's scroll to Itachi. He should be unrolling them right now…" the pink haired girl said as she rummaged in her rather large reddish-pink pack of luggage. With a small squeal, she drove out a neat pair of brown pajama legs, accompanied by its respective long-sleeved top.

"I'm gonna take a quick bath. I don't think I can stand doing anything else right now…" she said with a yawn as she walked in the small bathroom. There wasn't anything extraordinary about it… the bathroom was as simple as their room. A toilet, a bathtub and a sink with a mirror before it. The room itself had a small balcony that allowed view on the street, a pair of purple curtains flowing gently with the breeze of the night. Hinata simply sat on her bed, waiting her turn to use the bathroom before getting to sleep. She sighed as she wondered what awaited them with the new day that was to come. Glancing over at the small counter that lied in between the beds, the small digital clock showed that it was nearly eleven o'clock…

Wait…

Digital… clock?

Rubbing her eyes to make sure her sleepiness didn't trick her senses, she looked again, only to realize that there was indeed a digital clock lying on the counter beside her.

She gaped at it for a few moments… from what she had seen so far, this city was quite western-medieval style. What the heck was such technology doing here, anyway?

Too tired to contemplate on it, she fell back in the soft silky pillows of her bed. It itself was wooden, the wood on the head and end of it being trimmed and decorated with various flowers entwined with other strange symbols.

Before she knew it, Sakura was done and had already plopped into her bed, fast asleep in a matter of seconds. They had woken up early today and also traveled and tired themselves a lot… it was only natural for their bodies to need rest.

Taking a quick shower herself, she fell in her bed right after drying her long, raven-blue hair. It didn't take long for dreams to take over her consciousness…

Dreams of a certain blond boy…

Who, in particular, seemed to sneeze in his sleep as he lay on his bed, fully clothed and all. Sasuke lied under his own sheets, mumbling something about 'damn-sneezing-saying' and letting it slide. It was pretty warm in there… a refreshing quick bath, a pair of boxers and an amazingly soft and warm blanket was all he needed for his tired body to quickly fall asleep.

Itachi himself was lying on the floor with a futon he summoned from one of his scrolls. He was a hardened warrior… simple things like sleeping on either a bed or a futon made little difference to him whatsoever.

Naruto's and Sasuke's backpacks lied at the side of their respective beds…

Itachi sighed… Storage Scrolls was the most basic form of Fuuin (sealing). Why did they have to carry such large backpacks around anyway…? He shrugged, such large travels truly would need more preparation. But then again, it was only around a week's walk to get here from Konoha, as he had calculated so far. Imagine if they had gone full throttle with their ninja skills, not counting the monsters they had encountered of course…

Oh right… and he also had that little thing to do…

XxxxX

The night went by peacefully, the occasional sounds of celebration coming from downstairs, cheers and laughs that echoed within the empty hallways of the upper floor. The moon had risen outside, high in the sky of the night, illuminating with its pale light the city down bellow.

Naruto was more than awed at the sight before him. Having walked down one of the hallways, he found a large balcony at the end of it, said balcony being open with a wooden railing protecting sloppy people from… 'accidents'.

He smiled to himself as he gazed down at what lied below. The particular balcony was looking towards the gates, the view magnificent as endless fields carried on till they reached the green forest they had come through. He had only now realized that, in their search for a place to stay the night, they had reached one of the upper levels of the city, allowing them a view that wasn't accessible from any other side.

Why he had come out here, anyway…?

He remembered himself waking up in a soft bed that somehow came out of nowhere. Finding Itachi on a futon and Sasuke on the bed next to him, he quickly realized that they probably found a place to sleep in while he was unconscious.

Also judging from the sounds that came below, they were either in a house that celebrated or in some kind of inn. The multiple bedrooms encouraged the latter situation.

In the end, finding it impossible to sleep again for some reason, he decided to just take a walk within the confines of this building. He could look around the city, but scouting such unknown streets at night and alone, wasn't that much of a wise decision.

He sighed, looking up at the moon once more. The sounds of celebration from bellow had quieted down, the hour probably late, even for them. Judging from the position of the moon, it should be far past midnight. Maybe dawn would near in a couple of hours…

He had changed into his pajamas when he woke up, as he had expected the reason for his unrest to be the dirty battle-everyday clothes he wore. Finding himself unable to sleep yet, he also took a hot, shooting bath. Though he had made it quick as to not wake up anyone.

Looking down at his hand, he clenched and stretched his long fingers, gazing at it with wonder, as if expecting it to give the answers he sought at the moment. Another fact that bewildered him was from where had their backpacks come from…

He thought they had lost them at one place or another…

Shrugging, he looked up at the starry sky once more. Nope, no sleepiness at all. Damn it, he would need energy for the coming day! He expected endless walks around town as well as… well, anything. Hell, he had seen a digital clock on his counter, he could wait for anything!

He reminded himself that he didn't have the fox's power as it was. Maybe that was why he couldn't sleep, an uneasiness that the demon within him brought.

Would he get the chakra back…? As he had realized, his own chakra had returned quite quickly, thankfully to Hinata's help. Even though most of his power was still unstable, he could still use basic jutsu. He had worked up most of his edible chakra in that battle in the forest anyway…

So, here he was, not able to sleep for unknown reasons, probably the fox's chakra acting weird or something, contemplating on what awaited them now and waiting for sleepiness to reach its warm touch to him as well.

They had finally reached this world-forsaken village while having gone through hell to do so. Traveling the forest of Konoha, fighting back hunters from the Hyuuga and Danzo's nins, going through Sand and meeting Gaara along with his fiancée, Itachi having come along somewhere in the middle of all these, the Uchiha brothers having reunited, they having pass through the dessert, fought off against that mysterious swordsman not once but twice, meeting these white-robed people that seemed to be the military of Tomo, passing through forests and valleys full of undead creatures and hell, this was even before they got here!

It really was true that you first had to go through hell in order to reach paradise…

He wondered if they had gone through hell yet…

Clenching his fists, he reminded himself of the reason he was here, along with his friends. They were searching for something better… no, _he _was searching for something better and they had come along to accompany him in this journey. Maybe it would be better for them to go back to Konoha now… maybe Sasuke and Itachi could resurrect the Uchiha back in Konoha… Sakura could see her parents and their friends again. He was sure she missed Ino…

But… Hinata…

What would be of her if she got back now? Sure, Sasuke and Itachi would be accepted back with open arms from the whole village, especially if Itachi told them his story. Sakura would also be seen as a heroine who helped the Uchiha to be reborn…

But Hinata had no place to return to… had no place to call home back in Konoha. Hiashi had most likely disowned her already and made her little sister the heir… what was the name? Hinabi? Something like that…

Plus, that man had even sent Hyuuga hunters after her… she would probably live hell if she went back…

But what if he was wrong? What if all these were just delusions of his selfish mind? Wait, why selfish? He really wished the best for her… then why did his heart ache at the thought of her leaving…

Maybe it was the best for them all. He was really thankful that they got here with him, really thankful that they stood by him in such a time of peril. But now he was here, he had reached Tomogakure… they were free to go back now, if they wanted…

He really wished they didn't. He really wished they would all stay here, that they would all live together and start anew…

He was selfish, he knew he was selfish. But he was also human… a human that knew what loneliness meant more than anyone. Sure, he would make friends around here, but none would be the same as these guys…

Chuckling to himself, he actually felt a lone tear falling down his eyes…

"Naruto-kun…?" he heard a soft voice behind him.

He didn't turn. He had long since realized she was there, from the moment she got in the hallway and started walking towards him. She had probably used the Byakugan to find him…

For some reason, he was really sensitive to her chakra signature as of late. Maybe it was the chakra transfusion she had used… such techniques required a top-notch chakra control, transferring chakra from ones body to another was no easy task.

Yes… Hinata really was amazing.

"Ah… Hinata…" he replied to her previous call.

Silent footsteps brought her next to him, he not averting his eyes from the sky. She looked down a bit, admiring the shape and structure of the buildings bellow them, taking in what the view of the balcony had to offer.

"Can't sleep?" her soft voice held a tone of amazement. He chuckled

"Yeah, don't know why. I just woke up and then couldn't sleep again."

"Ah, I see…"

Silence conquered once more as they both looked up at the moon, it ever so slowly continuing its journey in the sky, unhindered by anyone.

"Well, I've been thinking…" he whispered, catching her attention. She turned to look at him, his blue eyes still locked with the round form of the moon.

"Hm?" she asked… God, her voice was always so soft. It was as if her vocal cords were made of silk or something…

"You guys, you don't really have to stay with me you know. I mean, I'm really thankful that you came all the way up here with me, and I'll never forget what we went through to get here…" he chuckled, humorless and sad as it was…

"But I don't want you to stay here if you don't want it to. I mean, you guys had a real life back in Konoha, people that cherish you. I can't take that away from you. Heh, aside from Baa-chan, a few others and the Konoha 9, I doubt anyone will miss me…" he once more chuckled humorlessly…

So drown he was in his own little world of despair, self-doubt and disbelief that he didn't notice the girl next to him inching closer.

Before he knew it, he felt two slender arms circling around him, a warm body pressed against his.

He slowly looked down. Hinata wasn't looking up to him, she had her face buried in between his arm and chest…

She didn't want him to see her blush like that while hugging him, nor see the couple of tears that his words brought to her…

'…_I cherish you…'_

"Naruto-kun…" thankfully, she thought with relief, her voice wasn't cracking.

"We came all the way here, because we believe in you. I really cherish you…" she felt his body stiffen a little...

"And Sasuke-san and Sakura-chan too!" she covered up her own words, her own feelings…

"That's why, that's why we came with you! Naruto-kun, Konoha would and will never be the same without you there."

"You deserve to be happy… so we wanted to help. Sasuke-san found his brother on this trip, and they are getting along now like siblings should." She painfully reminded her of her cold relationship with her own sister… how she wished things would be different…

"And Sakura-chan is really happy that she came too!" now she had lessened her hug to get a little away from him, if only to look up at his face. She knew she would be blushing, but she hoped the darkness of the night would hide it, or, as Naruto always did, he would mistake it for a fever or something.

"She is together with Sasuke-san now and she hopes she will learn a lot of things here!"

"… what about you?" he asked, his expression a mix of emotions, sad, questioning, amazed, everything was just mixed and thrown in a whirlwind of emotions that now decorated his face. She couldn't see which feeling rose above the others, she couldn't make them out…

"I… I…" she was at a loss of words. How could she tell him that she left Konoha, because without him she wouldn't survive there? That without him, she… she…

She really didn't know what she would do. Without him…

Even so, if she stayed her future was most likely already programmed by her father and the clan. She would probably continue her ninja career as a shinobi of Konoha for a couple of years before she was forced in a marriage with another clan, therefore being bound there for her entire life, living under the rules of her clan, living under all the pressure they would forcefully bestow upon her. She didn't even think that her father would allow her to lead the Hyuuga's… he would probably make Hanabi the heir anyway, giving her instead the caged-bird seal and terminating her freedom for ever…

No, she didn't want this… she didn't want any of this. For once in her life, she had found a reason and an excuse to make a brake for it, to live her life like she wanted, with whomever she wanted, wherever and whenever she wanted. She was free…

She smiled up at him, and the brightness of it could even dull the moon…

"I'm really happy with my choice." Was all she said before hugging him again. Well, she was a little selfish and took advantage of the moment… maybe a little bolder than usual… it just felt that the moment required it and plus, he hadn't gotten away from her in the time that she thought.

In adition, she even felt his large, strong hands circling around her themselves, taking here even deeper within his warmth…

"A… a…" his voice was cracking… was it a sob that she heard?

She just hugged him even tighter…

"Arigatou… Hinata…" he whispered, relief evident in his teary voice, his heart now more at ease with the situation. She could make so many doubts be washed away… she could make his world a brighter place with just a few words.

Truthfully, he couldn't think of a better name for her other than 'Hinata' (Sunny place)… she really lived up to it.

Another thing he absentmindedly noticed amidst all the other emotions that whirled within him, was how warm and soft she felt… warm like a blanket…

He felt his eyelids faltering as sleepiness finally started taking over, his previous sobs now nothing but slow, deep breaths.

He sighed "We should go back to sleep…" she said, his tone a little tired. She nodded, her face still pressed against his body, trying hard to hide her blush… and take in as much of his scent as possible.

She savored the moment… slim were the chances when she could really stay close to him and keep consciousness… be close with his permission of course.

But she couldn't stay like this forever, no matter how she wished for it. Such wishful thinking slimly came to pass anyway…

She looked up at him, the moon reflected in her pale orbs…

He really looked entranced for a moment, before looking her up and down. Whoa, they were both dressed up in pajamas…

"You're really cute!" he said, clearly happy at his own comment, nodding to himself, as if proving to said self that what he said was true.

"Ah, ah… thank you…" she said, this time her blush having reached up to her head at full speed.

Well, with such pale lavender orbs, long fluttering eyelids, a matured face, an embarrassed expression and an attire of pajamas to add to it… yep, she really was cute!

He laughed "Ok, let's go in. We don't want to wake up in the noon right?" he said with a wide grin.

She nodded and with that, they both walked inside, never noticing the fact that they still clinked to each other in this now quiet, cold night…

XxxxX

Morning came by rather quickly. Naruto opened his eyes to stare at the ceiling of his room. He could easily make out the sounds of a normal morning… birds chirping, people talking and having breakfast downstairs, the sounds of business on the street…

It just reminded him so much of his own apartment, the way he would wake up every morning, the familiar sense of the sun on his face, the smell of a new day, life that roamed its way around in the streets…

But it was different now. He wasn't in Konoha, he was in Tomo. He was far away from his home…

What he once considered his home.

Looking at his left, he noticed the empty bed that lied not more than one foot beside him. He didn't sense Itachi or the others either, so it was likely that everyone was up before him…

He sat up on the bed and stretched, a yawn escaping his lips. Getting up and rummaging through his luggage, he was glad to find that he still had civilian clothing with him.

Dressed in a white shirt, loose black pants and his usual shinobi sandals, he started walking down the stairs in search for the others…

It didn't take that long to find them. Everyone was sitting around a round table, chatting happily. Well, at least Hinata and Sakura did. Itachi and Sasuke were more composed, as was expected. He grinned widely.

Approaching the table, he noticed that everyone already had ordered their respective drinks.

"How cruel, you couldn't wait for me huh?" he asked, pretending to pout. Hinata and Sakura giggled, the Uchihas regarding him with nothing more than a grunt.

It seemed that they all had a round of green tea, except for Itachi who seemed to drink…

Coffee…?

Weird.

Not giving it much thought, he grabbed a free chair and sat between the Uchiha brothers, they shooting him a glance before returning to their drinks, Sasuke talking quietly with Sakura on his right.

"Glad you're up and going Naruto-kun. We can finally go and have some breakfast" Itachi commented as he put his coffe cup down. The blond only just noticed, but Itachi seemed to be dressed in his Akatsuki robes…

Noticing his stare, Itachi only shrugged

"The cloth is comfortable." Was all he said before standing up to head towards the door.

Naruto wasn't satisfied with that answer, but he knew better than push Itachi. Ok, so he wasn't a bloodthirsty traitor, that didn't mean his tolerance was stable as well…

He clearly remembered yesterday's morning where he had a cup of steaming ramen on his head.

'_I can still feel the burn…' _he shivered under the fandom pain before turning back to the others.

"You guys done too?" he asked and they turned their attention to him. Naruto's intense gaze was piercing them, as if demanding and begging them at the same time… Well, food was one of the few things Naruto could never deny himself…

With a smile, all three nodded as the blond of the company grinned like an idiot, which, many would agree in that he was…

"Alright!" and with that one yell, he run after Itachi and out of the 'Traveler's Refuge'…

XxxxX

The streets did seem pretty crowded people walking here and there, hurrying to their business while salesmen yelled about their wares on one corner or another.

Thankfully enough, they didn't seem to stand out in this crowd of strangers. Most people, especially the young ones, wore clothes similar to the ones of the modern world, the exception being the weird design some of them had.

But all in all, this town seemed like a mix of civilizations. People spoke Japanese and their clothing was a mixture of the west and the east. The buildings generally seemed more like of the medieval era, but the modern technology they would spot here and there would bewilder them as to when exactly in time they were.

Nevertheless, once they passed through what must have been the market of the city, they found themselves in a more quiet road. Colorful shops and restaurants shone in the light of the sun, the contradiction that was made with the shadows giving the atmosphere the sense of tranquility.

The weather was cool, gentle breezes blowing every now and then. Winter was coming, albeit slowly as it seemed. Still on the doorstep, it wouldn't take long for the cold season to take over the warmness that once must have resided here…

But that was the natural course of things. What could they do about it?

Finally having found what looked like a small restaurant that served food, they stepped inside, a cozy warmness their welcome after hours of walking through unknown streets…

XxxxX

They all sat around a fairly sized table, roomy enough for their company. Having ordered, they now only awaited their morning meals to arrive…

"So… what goes after this?" Sasuke broke the silence as he peered at each of his comrades and friends.

"For starters, we should consult with Dankan-san or Rikou-san, they are natives of this area, after all." Itachi commented, his eyes closed, his expression relaxed and motionless.

Everyone nodded at that

"But how do we find them? I mean, it looks like a pretty big village if you ask me." Sakura voiced her own thoughts, elbowed resting on the table and supporting her head.

"Village? This place is more like a large town or something" Naruto said, arms crossed before his chest.

"Well, Konoha is fairly sized for a village too." Sakura said and the others nodded again after a second of thought. Truthfully, Konoha was rather large to be considered a 'village', but that's how things were anyway…

A minute of silence passed, each member of the fellowship minding their own business while waiting for their meals to arrive. Thankfully, the food they served around here looked Japanese enough. There were a few names in the catalogue that seemed strange though…

Minutes passed by as meaningless yet happy chatter was exchanged between the members of the group, lost in their own small world as they where, discussing what could possibly happen next and what could the future abide for them.

Itachi, being who he is and that is, an intelligent person, knew better than to interfere with their discussions, only talking when it was needed. He knew very well that he wasn't one of them… he was Sasuke's brother, but that was as far as it went. He wasn't one of Team 7, he hadn't lived what they had lived together…

He just wasn't one of them.

XxxxX

"Ah, finally! There you are!" Dankan said breathlessly as he walked inside the small restaurant the five were having breakfast at. All said five heads turned to look at the newcomer, bewildered at his sudden appearance.

"I was looking all around town for you guys!" he said, his frustration evident.

"Not our problem. You just suck at tracking." Sasuke commented with a shrug, taking a bite from his bacon. These things were really tasty…

Dankan fumed silently, not able to argue with the Uchiha…

He really sucked at tracking…

"Anyways, what's up Dankan?" Naruto said with a big smile, having finished his third bowl of miso ramen… How lively, they even had ramen here!

The man sighed as he pulled a chair to sit down beside them "Get over with your food. We have things to do today."

"Like what?" Sakura asked questioningly.

He only smirked as his dull grey eyes darted over her

"Getting you in Tomo's military, of course"

XxxxX

"A generous offer as it may be, I still have obligations outside Tomogakure…" Itachi commented as they all exited the restaurant, his expressionless face and monotone voice intact and unwavering.

"Is that so? Well, can't you stay a week or so more? Pretty pleaaase?" Dankan pouted like a schoolgirl, rubbing on Itachi's shoulder, said man holding his own fist back from punching him in public…

He didn't like such shows of affection… especially from a male.

Brushing his shoulder with one hand, as if Dankan was nothing more than dust that dirtied his shirt, he stepped away from them before sighing. "I requested permission from the Kazekage to escort my brother and his friends to the end of their journey. Seeing as they are sound and safe here, I must return to my Kage now." The man said, his posture not even twitching as he spoke.

Naruto remembered that somewhere along the way Itachi had joined Suna and was now one of their nin…

He was saddened that the man would leave their company yet again. Sasuke was finally growing closer to his brother…

Dankan though didn't seem fazed by the news.

"Okay! Give the Kazekage Tomo's best regards. We will be expecting an ambassador of yours in the upcoming weeks." The grey eyed man commented as he took a scroll out of his robe.

"This is a message from Tomo to Suna. I spoke with the elders this morning and they too think that the time has come…" his face showed his disbelief, his hand reluctant from passing the scroll it held.

Nevertheless, Itachi still extended a hand and grabbed the document, seizing it inside his clothing with a nod. "Of course. Seeing what lies ahead, it is only wise that we unite under a common enemy." He paused for a moment in thought…

"I've heard rumors about a village being decimated in the borders of Suna. Is that true…?" he asked. Amidst walking such crowded streets, his trained ears couldn't help but catch any information that seemed important.

Dankan nod was grave "Yes, and that is another reason for us to communicate with outsiders. It seems that the matter slips out of our grasp as it is…"

"And you will probably need more hands in order to contain it"

Dankan nodded again.

Itachi shrugged as he turned to walk away from them.

"Otouto…" he said as he stopped, the four teen's attention suddenly sprang towards him.

"Be careful" was all he said before walking a few more steps…

Then vanishing in thin air, his shunsin taking him further than they could sense.

"Hey Dankan, where's Rikou-jii anyway?" Naruto said as he crossed his hands behind his head, looking around leisurely.

"Naruto-kun, show some more respect." Hinata said, her whole posture a slight pout towards him.

He grinned "Ok, where's Ero-Rikou anyway?"

"Naruto!!" Both Sakura's and Dankan's fist came to connect with the top of his head, sending the poor blond to the ground. Sasuke only sighed, starting to walk away as Dankan threw threats towards the outgoing boy for calling his master like this, and Sakura's own yelling for the disrespect he showed.

Hinata worriedly glanced between Sasuke's retreating form and the three other people he left behind. Sighing herself, she followed after him. Maybe this way the others would notice and come too, rather than standing there and yelling at each other…

XxxxX

Back in Suna, in the Kazekage's office, Gaara watched over a couple of disturbing reports that came in today. It was truly unsettling, what this texts said was near impossible to be real, as if it was a fairy tale his shinobi invented to prank him. But, considering the fact that his very own village was attacked by a horde of demons that came out of a sand-storm, this was something he should be well aware that could happen.

But… a whole town, brought to dust in one night? It wasn't a shinobi village, there must have been only a couple of his nin there on a mission, but yet again, it was a fairly sized community. To be leveled in just a few hours…

At least that was what these two reports said. Probably, his men had retreated the moment danger arose. It could be called cowardice, but it was better than getting slaughtered and wasting your life. In fact, what they had done proved far more resourceful.

It wasn't only his village that was in danger from such attacks… Suna was still recuperating from the damage that attack had caused a couple of days ago. Thankfully, not many had lost their lives back then.

It was so unnerving… according to these two, the demons were a menace that slaughtered woman and child alike, burning everything to the ground with no mercy, not even a hint of it.

And yet to add to the whole scene, this time the attack seemed to have a leader…

'… _and while these monsters were killing people left and right, there was also a huge shadow in the sky! I could hardly make its figure out of the thick smoke the fires created and we where a fair distance from the scene too. But, I could easily sense a malicious aura from that creature… no, it must have been the rider! Animals don't have chakra…' _and so on the first report went with meaningless and opinions on what the creature might have been as well as to how they managed to get away before getting they got caught.

Thankfully, the second report seemed more resourceful.

'… _It was a dragon, a skeletal one to add to it. I have no idea how a real dragon could exist, let alone a bone-made one! It seemed to have a rider though, there was a man clad in armor on it. __The night was really dark but thanks to a few jutsus in my arsenal, I could clearly make out both rider and beast. He seemed to notice me as his eyes connected with mine, even though we had around a mile of distance! Kami, for a moment I thought that I died… thankfully, he turned away from me…' _the rest of the script talked about how relieved the nin was to be alive. In the end, both reports concluded that after the massacre, the army seemed to leave the village and head north, towards the forest that lied at the borders of Suna. Truth be told, none knew what lied beyond those woods. In years past, that land was known as 'No-mans-land', so no nation took claim of it, neither did anyone even go there. It was said that the forest itself was a labyrinth… none ever made it past it, not even from the sky.

Tales where told about what beauty lied beyond those enchanted woods, a valley full of flowers, a piece of nature unmatched by anything.

But, in the days that now came the forest seemed to have grown wicked, its natural beauty now deceased. None that entered ever came out alive…

He hoped against all hope that Naruto and his company had made it safely to their destination.

Itachi had still two days left before he was supposed to return. He brought a hand to his forehead, a headache starting to form from all the stress of the day, the worry, everything. If only things could just be simpler…

XxxxX

"So… why the message to the Kazekage? I thought Tomogakure was a really, really hidden village" Naruto said with his arms behind his head. They had once again passed through the crowded streets, what Dankan pointed out that was the Market Ring, though now they had taken another turn, heading for the more upper levels of the city.

"Yes, we have been isolated from the rest of the Elemental Continent for about… forever!" Dankan answered with a grin.

"But, as the circumstances are, it seems that things are beginning to grow out of what we can handle ourselves." He sighed

"And, Kaze no Kumi (land of Wind) is already involved in this. Never before had they attacked outsiders…" his eyebrows furrowed, his mind racing to find reasons, motives, anything…

"Wait, wait, wait, wait… what are we really up against?!" Naruto was waving his hands before him in frustration. Truth be told, they had battled with the enemy, yet knew little to nothing about him!

"Well, you do know Oni no Kumi (Demon Country) right?"

They all nodded. It was a small land to the south-western part of the continent. Naruto also reminded himself of that little adventure he had over that place in the past (Referring Naruto Shippuden Movie 1)

"Well, this land may seem small and insignificant, but there's more than what meets the eye… sadly." He sighed once again.

"Under the Land of Demons lies an underground kingdom. I think it's called Kagegakure no Sato, the Village hidden in the Shadows. It is there that everything evil comes from. The undead, the demons, everything." His fist was clenched "Tomo and Kage have been battling for ages now in the background. While the Ninja Wars took place and the world around us evolved and changed, we here in Tomo battled to keep the demons at bay, so that they wouldn't disturb the land."

"Too bad, nine of their pets had managed to escape, around a decade and a half ago…" his expression was serious, the matter of his speech a piece of history.

"We didn't manage to contain them, but thankfully, the Shodaime Hokage of Konoha managed to subdue them. Well, one brought the other and things are as they are now." Everyone noted that he refrained from touching the subject of the Bijuu too deeply. It was common knowledge among them now that Naruto was the Kyuubi container…

"As of late, their armies seem to expand, for what reason, I know not" his expression once more became troubled. "Normally, they never make it to the outside world that easily… maybe it's the corruption that's taking it's toll to our barriers…" the questioning looks they threw at each other and at him was a clear sign that they understood little of the last sentence.

"Naruto, you have noticed the change in the forest and at the valley, right?" he said, looking at the blond. Said teen nodded.

"Well, a while back these places where a pearl of beauty. Somehow, we know yet not, through dark magic these areas have been swallowed by the darkness and changed significantly. The barriers we had set to keep outsiders off Tomo have already been destroyed, but no normal man can make it through anyway as it is…" they where all thankfully that Itachi wasn't a 'normal man'. If the man was as elite as they knew him to be, he would have little trouble passing through these dangerous lands.

"Ah, I should point this out now. Don't get amazed if you see one of _them _using kage techniques like 'Shadow-Bind'. The Nara clan of Konoha is a side branch that escaped that kingdom and managed to find a piece of heaven in the Leaf Village. But, since they stayed away from the darkness for so many years, their powers have diminished to simple shadow manipulation." That was something new. It was hard to imagine Shikamaru to be an evil dictator… nah, he was too lazy for that.

"The Nara are nothing before the real Kages… they can hide even the sun." Dankan murmured to himself, even though the others heard as well.

After a few minutes of walking in silence, the group finally arrived to the last ring of the city. Before them stood a large building that seemed to melt within the rock behind it. Four-story tall with windows at each floor and a wide double-door. There was also a staircase that led to the rooftop, said rooftop leading to the cliff that narrowly expanded outwards from the mountain.

"Here we are. The Tenkage's (Divine Shadow) tower!" he said with a wide grin, his voice full of pride. Truthfully enough, there was the kanji was 'Light' in the center of the building's wall, embedded in a circle.

"You have a Kage??" Naruto asked, his jaw dropping at the irony. The Light users who despised the darkness, had a 'shadow' to lead them.

"Well, yeah. The reasons are many, but most of all it's so that we can fit with the other nations in matters of leadership. We even have a Daimiyo! Though he lives in the second to last ring…" He murmured the last part to himself. The four teens sighed as one, their feet now taking them towards the door of the rather large building. It wasn't that much of a surprise that a Daimiyo was also present. This title belonged to the man that controlled the culture, economics and finances of the country while the Kage focused mostly on military maters, as well as checking over the finances along with his counterpart.

Leaving the matter behind, they all stepped inside the wooden double-doors…

XxxxX

The building inside seemed traditional enough. Polished wooden floors met their feet as well as decorated walls found their eyes. Images of women sitting or dancing among flowers, images of battle and glory, images of tranquility and harmony… all these passed their eyes as they walked up a staircase after passing the secretary. Down a hallway they walked, occasionally meeting people in their path yet said people paying them no mind. Probably the casual clothing of them all helped in avoiding unnecessary attention.

Finally reaching another set of double-doors, they all failed to notice Dankan's smirk when his hand reached the doorknob. No guards stood outside the door, that was something they all noticed… except Naruto, who anxiously sweated at the fact that he was going to meet yet another Kage.

The door creaked open slowly, painfully, as if time slowed down just so that door would open at the slowest pace possible. And then…

"Welcome!" came a shout of joy from the other side of the room, the door slamming on the wall as a bulky, tall man in pale-golden robes hugged Dankan to death. He had a long, blond beard and a pair of mesmerizing green eyes…

"Ten… Tenkage-sama… You'll… kill…" before he could finish his rugged exclamation of pain, the Tenkage had already left him be to start hugging the other visitors, thankfully paying attention as to not crush the girls in his bear like embrace.

The three males, however, walked inside with aching bones as the bulky man walked inside and urged them in, closing the door behind them and turning to sit behind his desk…

The Kage's office seemed like an advanced edition of the decorations they had seen downstairs… the wooden floor here was a polished white color, the wall decorations recreating the scene of a gentle forest, puffy clouds taking place among a blue sky on the ceiling.

You would think that the moment you stepped in this office, you also stepped inside another world, one of peace and calmness…

The Tenkage cleared his throat and that got them all out of their dazed state. Even though it was rude, they couldn't help but scold him mentally for stopping their daydreaming…

It was a really nice daydream…

"Well, my friends, I would like to hear the reason that you decided to make such a long journey from Konohagakure no Sato here, to Tomogakure. I suppose you bring a message from your village?" he chuckled "Doubtful. None other than Suna even have legends about our existence." A sigh escaped his lips.

In contradiction to the carefree attitude he was giving off before, the power and authority he now emitted left no openings for questioning. His green eyes where piercing them, studying them for any fault or lie as they narrated why and how they got here, from the moment they left the village to the moment they stepped in Tomo. None of the teens even thought of joking around with him…

"… and that's how it is, Ten-jii" a vein was immediately visible in said man's forehead. Everyone started sweating as their incredulous looks all pierced Naruto, who visibly seemed to pay no mind nor attention to his own words.

"Watch your tongue with me boy…" the gentle man was gone as his threat became even more apparent…

"Of course, Tenkage-sama-jii" Naruto said, letting another vein bulge from the Tenkage's forehead…

The glass wall behind the Tenkage thankfully didn't break that day. The man was clever enough to at least not destroy his own office as he grabbed the boy from his shirt and yanked him towards him, bringing him to eye level, their noses touching as fury seemed to emit from the man…

It was then that Naruto really realized what was going on…

"G-guys… a hand?" he asked as he turned around with a worried grin, the others sighing as they dropped their heads, even Dankan.

"You…" even his breath carried venom

"Are really stupid, aren't you boy?" he threw him away as he laughed, Naruto amazed at the ease the man handled his body, as if he was nothing but a feather. He skidded a little before regaining his footing and incredulously looking at the Kage.

Said man was still slamming a fist on his desk, his whole body aching from laughter.

Needless to say, the three other teens couldn't help but worry about the man's mental state…

Dankan on the other hand, only kept grinning.

"You know, Tenkage-sama is a really kind-hearted man. He wouldn't mind if we all called him ojii-san, but due to respect we still call him Tenkage-sama anyway." He glanced at Naruto "Though you man, must have a really twisted understanding of the word 'respect'…" he sighed, his grin returning as the Tenkage seemed to finally calm down.

"Ah, that was a good one. You should all just see your faces." He said, the cheerfulness from before returning. Though it was still noticeable that he didn't let his authority slip, not even for a second… Kindhearted he may be, an idiot he was not…

Clearing his throat yet again, he smiled warmly as he glanced at each teen respectively. Hmm, the girls were both hotties…

Both Sakura and Hinata wore mini-skirts and a body-hugging shirt, each with their respective colors of pink and red and blue and lavender.

Hinata of course, didn't oblige to dress like this at first… but Sakura's nagging had paid off in the end.

Sasuke himself had decided on a black t-shirt with the Uchiha symbol on his back, as well as white shorts. They all wore their ninja sandals though.

"May I ask your names?" The man's smile had slipped as seriousness took over. Now came a matter that demanded it.

"Uchiha Sasuke." He said with a bow

"Haruno Sakura." She mimicked with a bend of her own.

"Hyuuga Hinata, a pleasure to meet you." She said without a stutter, as was the proper etiquette. Some habits from being a noble didn't fade easily…

"Uzumaki Naruto!!" the teen exclaimed with a shout and a wide grin. His friend's sadly noticed the missing of what usually accompanied the call of his name…

'… _remember my name, cause I'm gonna be the future…'_

"Tenkage!" yep, sad as it was that he had left that dream behind… wait, what?

The current Tenkage roared in laughter again, yet Naruto only kept his grin triumphant.

"Oh boy, I sure hope you will someday kid. But for now, let's start with the basics…" the man said with a kind smile.

"First of all, I should introduce myself as well ne?" he said, sitting up from his chair.

"I, Yondaime Tenkage of Tomogakure, Kengen Ryoku, am happy to welcome you all in Tomo no kumi." He had opened his arms in the gesture of a hug, a warm greeting to the travelers that had at last reached their new home.

"And of course, I suppose you would all like to enroll in our military ranks?"

After a few minutes of explaining their ranks and skills, the Tenkage nodded as he handed each of them a paper. "Registration entry. You people will have to attend our academy for a few months. Your skill in combat might be good, but your grasp over the Light is weak. None of my army know not how to cast at least low-level Meimeiton techniques." They all nodded, though sad that they had to once again get into the academy…

"And of course, I suppose you would all need accommodations for your stay in our village?" they all nodded once again. The Tenkage paused for a moment in thought… "Aha!" he exclaimed before reaching in one of his drawers, taking out two pieces of paper.

"Recently, there had been two forms given in for a couple of houses in the middle ring of Tomo, a ring above the Market. The price of their auction is low and the building are well maintained. Though, each of them has only two bedrooms as it is." He said as he handed them the forms, all four gazing at them with wonder as they checked over the details.

Kengen Ryoku seemed to be a kind man, allowing them accommodations here in Tomo so quickly.

"Ah, we also accept Yen here as our coin. There are also silver coins running around the market, but their actual value is low." The man was still smiling.

Their options were of no trouble. Hinata and Sasuke, having been heirs to formidable clans of Konoha, had plenty of money to spare. Hinata, having taken a sum from her family treasure (a generous one that is) and Sasuke being the only Uchiha in Konoha, had inherited the whole fortune of his family.

So it was settled.

"I and Sakura will take this one." He said as he signed the paper and gave it back to the Kage. The man looked at them with wonder. Hinata next to them blushed furiously, realizing what this meant, while Naruto was ready to yell at them for leaving him out. He felt a little dejected… the three of them were, Team 7 after all. Hinata was a member of their team as of late as well, but their own bond in this team was deeper…

"You two are a couple? How lively." The Tenkage said with a wide grin. Sakura blushed herself for a change, while Sasuke only 'Hned'.

The two houses where only a couple of blocks away from each other. Their price was reasonable. What else could they ask for? Sasuke couldn't help but congratulate himself and his luck at how things where rolling out.

"Well, Uchiha, now you have your own house here in Tomo! Hope you enjoy. Ah, mind though that you will need to get the furniture yourself." The man said. Sasuke nodded.

"Your training as shinobi of Tomo will begin in a week, when the new classes begin. Till then, please acquaint yourself with the rest of the village." They all nodded as Hinata reluctantly signed the other form for buying the house. The idea of living with Naruto was… weird, bewildering and pleasant, all at the same time.

She also noticed the cunning grin that now had conquered the Yondaime's face.

"Hyuuga-san, welcome to Tomo. Hope you have a nice stay." He grinned at both teens, Naruto arguing with Sasuke and said Uchiha ignoring him, while Hinata sighed.

"Now, you are dismissed. Any questions you might pose, Dankan will be more than willing to answer." He intertwined his fingers under his chin.

"Why it has to be me…?" Dankan said with a sigh as he dropped his head.

All four teens started walking out of the office and where the designated area of their new accommodations where, while Dankan stayed behind as the doors closed, the echoes of their arguments vibrating off the walls in the soothing atmosphere of the Tenkage's office…

"Such special treatment… Are you sure they're worth it, Yondaime-sama?"

"They sure are. Especially the blond kid. That Naruto… there's just something about him…"

"Heh, they can hide from us, but not from the Light, can they?"

"None can hide from it my child. None…"

XxxxX

**A/N: Whoa, this time I reached 11k words... damn, I'm glad I finally reached Tomo! Hope you enjoyed the chapter! I sure did while writing it. Deciding how to make the tower and the office was a small challenge... I needed something unique ^^**

**Once again, I beg your pardon for any mistakes you might note. I'm too lazy of a guy to proof read such a long text... =P**

**Next Chapter: City of Light, Part Two**

**Naruto and his friends finally get to know more about their new home. Running around trying to fix up their own lives within the confines of their new houses and get to know Tomogakure some more, another part of said country's history shall be unraveled...**

**Till we meet again,**

**HoNdeR All Mighty**

**PS: Please review! As always, your opinion matters! And, I'll be happy to answer any question. I don't mind unsigned reviews, the only problem is that I can't respond to them -.-  
**


	12. Chapter 12: City of Light Part Two

_**Towards The Heaven**_

_**Chapter 12: City of Light Part 2**_

"You actually had that much money with you?" he asked in bewilderment. Truthfully, he had not expected this. But, yet again, neither had he ever expected the actual existence of demons besides the tailed beasts and the summons. Nor did he believe in that 'Light' Dankan talked about.

She giggled "I couldn't leave myself penniless when we left Konoha, now could I?" she answered, amusement in her voice and face. This was one more thing Naruto couldn't understand about the girl. Usually, wherever he was involved, a blush and stutter could follow her. Yet now, she was as cheerful as ever, happy like a careless fool.

It seemed to feel good to be a careless fool…

XxxxX

"We're really going to live together?" Sakura asked more herself rather the man that walked next to her. He only shrugged in answer.

"Sasuke-kun, why would they give _us _a whole house? Aren't we just strangers to them?" she asked, this time the question having a recipient. Sasuke remained silent for a few moments, his footsteps the only sound his body made.

"Suspicious as it is, it was a good chance to get ourselves accommodated. Now we neither have to pay a rent nor live in a hotel." He said, satisfied with his own words even though his face betrayed no emotion. Sakura didn't push further as she kept contemplating why the heck would the Kage actually sell them two whole houses…

And on not much of a high price to top it off…

XxxxX

"Don't you think they will get suspicious? We don't sell houses to strangers everyday." Dankan asked, any thought of formality cast out the window when the company of four left.

The Tenkage gave a hearty laugh.

"Of course they will be. It's only natural for human nature. But we can't have a jinchuuriki running around the streets, now can we?" he said, a small smile on his lips.

Dankan's eyes grew wide.

"You knew from the very start?" he asked, fear and a tint of anger evident in his expression.

The Kage nodded. "Of course I knew. The Kyuubi gives off quite the vibe. Strangely though, the demon's presence seems to be… weakened..." he rubbed his chin in thought, grunting for emphasis.

"Outside the forest, Naruto faced Hakai." Dankan began with a grim expression "Hakai used a sealing technique to force the demon out and probably kill him. But, something went wrong and instead of unsealing the Kyuubi, Hakai only managed to neutralize its power. At least for now…" he finished, eyes warily glancing around the desk of the Kage.

For once, the old man behind the table seemed to be deep in thought, his expression nothing but serious.

"Of course, the fourth Hokage of Konoha was the best Fuuin master the world had ever known… trifling with his masterpiece isn't something you can do easily… he had probably taken defense measures in case something like this could happen. Hakai only triggered a defense in Naruto's seal when he cast his own. But, I actually wonder how that seal could resist Makaiton…" the Tenkage was back in thought as his words drifted away.

Makaiton and Meimeiton where styles that where not used in the ninja world. These ancient styles of Jutsus where actually banned from the ninja world because of their power. Only Tomogakure still used Meimeiton, and only Oni no Kuni still used Makaiton. Two forgotten lands using forgotten techniques… fitting.

And that was the problem. Namikaze knew easily how to repel any common unsealing. But how did he know how to repel a Makaiton unsealing…? Probably that was why the demon was now idle. A reaction neither Namikaze nor Hakai expected, a factor that the legend of Konoha had forgotten to take care of…

So what was to be done now?

If the Kyuubi didn't have any power, the Naruto only was a jinchuuriki in name. The demon no longer held any power.

But what would happen if he was actually…

An idea popped within his mind. An idea that made him smile.

XxxxX

They both gaped in amazement. No, they really did. The ring their house was in seemed to be one of the middle-classed ones.

Yet if this was middle-class, what was high-class considered in this land?

The house was relatively big, two stories tall. White walls and four windows, a classic design with a triangular roof. Hell, Naruto could even see the top of a chimney in the back. Stepping inside, the whole place itself seemed quite cozy in itself, even though the decorations and what little furniture there where pointed out no luxury. The last owner probably was a simple man.

A simple couch in a lather large living room. It stood as a sure thumb on the brown wooden floor, its yellow color a striking contradiction. The walls where painted a smooth green, while a staircase led to the second floor from one end of the living room. There also seemed to be a small hallway in the left corner of their viewpoint, probably leading to the backyard or something like that. _If _they had a backyard.

Or it could be a toilet.

They parted ways as both went to examine what else there was to see in this house. Who knows.

XxxxX

In the end, the other door of the living room led to a rather simple and fairly sized kitchen. The first floor was probably just that, a living room and a kitchen. The dining room was the kitchen itself.

The second floor had only one bedroom and two bathrooms at opposite ends. There where three rooms to spare, but all of them where barren of any furniture, or anything else for that matter.

So, it seemed that they would need to accommodate themselves a little more, should they not?

"It's five-thirty, we still got plenty of time." Naruto said with a flex. They had only a couple of hours at most before darkness fell however. And they knew the streets not.

So what was there to do than a little more examining?

"There is no food in the kitchen. Not even ramen!" Naruto yelled in bewilderment, while Hinata tested the soft couch of their living room. It really was soft, even though it seemed quite old and hard-looking. Eyes can deceive, it seemed.

"Then lets go buy groceries. We will probably need dinner." She suggested, smiling to herself. Naruto poked his head out of the kitchen room.

"Yeah? Oh… yeah!" he said, his stomach rumbling.

"Then let's go! We might even find Dankan out there!" he said and rushed outside the door. Hinata giggled, now alone in the house. She glanced one last time around, before she herself stepped outside.

The door creaked as it closed in her wake…

XxxxX

It was pretty easy to spot Tomogakure. If you knew where to look, that was. Besides the forests and mountains that surrounded it, there was nothing else to hide it from the plain view of travelers who happened to come by.

And yet, how did this village actually manage to remain concealed from the rest of the world for all this time? Truthfully, he had never heard even the tiniest of mentions towards this place in Konoha from anyone. He had learned about it from Naruto that night at the restaurant.

The answer was pretty simple.

Genjutsu.

The forest was thick with it. A genjutsu technique in the form of a mist, making whomever stepped into it lose his sense of direction, thus wondering aimlessly in the woods. Of course, judging from the nature of Tomo they probably had a way to send these intruders back without killing them, of course.

Sasuke closed his eyes, his Sharingan fading as he reopened them, an onyx black the only color that now posses his irises.

It was a very finely woven genjutsu, one of the best he had ever seen. Truthfully, not even the Sharingan could see through it. Not from this distance, at least. He would have to get close to make sure.

Dankan was with them when they arrived. He was probably the reason that the mist wasn't noticed in the first place. He had dispelled it so that they could get through.

How had they met Dankan? It seemed long ago, even though nearly only a day had passed. Or a couple of days? He wasn't sure.

Nevertheless, the level of trust the man showed to them was beyond what a friendship of the hour could do. He had allowed them passage within a village that probably accepted no outsiders whatsoever.

Naruto's tenant could have had played some part in it… maybe they wanted the Kyuubi as their own, maybe they just wanted to guard him, or maybe they wanted to do something that was beyond Sasuke's imagination.

There had to be a reason. There _had _to be. Things like these don't happen all the time.

He sighed. Why contemplate on it? He could just ask Dankan. His Doujutsu could make any attempt at lying go in vain. Easy and simple.

Now, he had other problems at hand.

Problems like, what kind of furniture could fit a pink colored bedroom…?

XxxxX

"Apples?"

"Check"

"Tomatoes?"

"Check"

"Potatoes?"

"Check."

"Toes?"

He looked down "Check"

They both laughed once again at their own humor. Some people stared, some people pointed, some people just minded their own business. It was a damn fine afternoon, and they where enjoying it the best they could.

One thing they had learned while being on the streets of Tomo for nearly a couple of hours was that, economy here was something different than what they where used to.

Everything was cheap. But there was no question about quality, Hinata's Byakugan had checked this from the start.

They now were going to live in a society that fed itself, no imported items and no exported ones. So it was only reasonable that people would share their goods, at a normal price, rather than take advantage of the middle customer.

So why not be joyous while at it? They had nearly finished their list. Only a few more things remained to be done.

It was pretty fun maneuvering around the market district, getting to know the place and trying not to bump into anyone. That could be considered an annoyance by most, but who can understand the logic of illogicality?

Believe it, neither can I.

"So, we have near a week to get ready. What do you think we should do?" he asked.

"Well, first of all, let's get to know the area. We will be living here, won't we?" she answered with a smile.

"True enough, but just exploring won't do much. We should train a little too you know." He said, probably bouncing to relieve some energy.

"You remember what happened last time we trained?" she asked, her voice a little lower. She could have died that day…

"Yeah… but that doesn't mean things are going to go the same way again! We have trained together many times before!" he pleaded. It was pretty funny, seeing him pout while carrying paper bags on both hands, all filled with various vegetables and other goods.

She smiled "Ok, we can give it a try. Tomorrow." She pointed out and he obliged with a sigh.

"Ok, we can also eat when we get back. Today." He said with a grin of his own and she giggled, her own bags bouncing with the action as they strode down the emptying street, side by side.

XxxxX

It was times like this that Sasuke wished he was _not_ who he was.

And that was, a pretty boy.

At least to a commoner's eye.

It was pretty common back in Konoha to have eyes set on him all the time, people admiring him or his name, he was not sure. His fangirls probably did both. But here, in a new and foreign city where every face was unfamiliar and every voice only a strange echo, Sasuke was annoyed more than what was healthy. For others.

It was unsettling to have pairs of eyes stick on him the moment he passed by. It was also annoying to have girls ask him out or for an autograph out of the blue.

Somehow, they did all this whenever Sakura wasn't around him, when she was looking at something of interest or when she was absentminded. They probably at least had enough intelligence to not inquire her wrath. Good for them.

But not for him. Intelligent girls meant troublesome girls.

So he stuck at Sakura as much as he could, faking interest for something she pointed out or anything that the girl set her eyes on. At least that could make her happy, and that was a reward somehow. It made him feel better to see her smile. It always did.

They moved on to chose what tapestry they would put on the living room. Of course, Sasuke would never allow anything pink…

XxxxX

"What do you think of Tomo?" Naruto asked out of the blue as he took another bite from his fried eggs. Hinata really knew how to cook, even with just eggs.

She paused to think for a moment "Well, the people here seem to be pretty nice and helpful. They don't yell much and it seems to be a quiet society on every aspect. Did you notice those white-cloaked guys hiding on the roofs?" she asked, pointing at him with a fork.

He nodded "ANBU. And they where probably watching over us. I knew there was a trick on getting a house that easily when you are just a newcomer." He nodded in agreement with himself before slurping down one egg.

"So they want something from us?" she asked in bewilderment. What could they possible need from a four-some of travelers?

Both lavender and cerulean pairs of eyes went wide as they simultaneously thought of one single answer.

Naruto was the first to speak as he shrugged "Not much to fear there. For some time now the fur ball is pretty much silent." He was sure of that. Whenever he tried to reach out for the fox, to communicate or otherwise feel its presence, a soft numbness could come over him. The harder he tried, the more forceful the numbness became. It could also result to a nasty headache.

So he had quit trying. The fox was probably unreachable right now, even from him.

"Even so, what could they do even if they had Kyuubi?" Hinata asked. They where nice people, that much she was sure of. But could they possibly hide ulterior motives? Could they harbor thoughts similar to the Akatsuki?

Not likely. They would both be long dead.

But no matter how many scenarios they came up with, they couldn't shake the feeling that the Kyuubi was playing a role in this.

A big one.

XxxxX

"This is outrageous…" an old man hissed. The chamber was illuminated only by the deem light of the candles, little being visible from the figures that occupied the rooms.

Only one man shone in the middle of all this, the ceiling having a wide circular opening from where he stood.

"Do you realize in what danger you have put all of Tomogakure?" the same man asked.

The one that stood in the middle gave no reply, his body unmoving, not even a twitch.

"Do you know, that if the demon is to be released in any way, it could mean the end of us all?!" this time the man yelled, yet the offended one gave no reply, physical or verbal.

"That is why I gave them those accommodations. It will be far easier for us to monitor their movements as long as we know where they are." It was clearly the voice of the Tenkage, deep and caring, the tint of seriousness it held not going unnoticed.

"You all know…" the man in the middle began, abruptly taking the attention of the whole room. He had not spoken a word from the moment he had stepped inside till now.

"That we have little choice over this matter. The time is nigh, brothers…" his cryptic way of speaking confused many, but the older ones seemed to catch a glimpse of what he meant…

"What you are talking about is nothing but fairy tales, Dankan." The same old man as before spoke, the Tenkage speaking not a word as he careful watched over the conversation that was beginning to transpire. He had to be careful… each word here counted.

"You know better than I that they are not. You _lived _through those times." Dankan's grey eyes where piercing in the silhouette of the other speaker.

"I _do _know better than you, boy. You are not one to judge me! There are reasons that those times are and _will _remain buried!" he was yelling now, ready to jump off his seat. Years of experience and his own self-control probably kept him from doing the latter.

"To what cost? Could you actually sit and watch Tomo burn to the ground, while you knew there was a chance?!" Dankan was yelling himself, ready to jump at any time.

That was the moment the Tenkage chose to intervene.

"Please, gentlemen. Control yourselves. Dankan, we understand that you have a point, but such an expedition could be disastrous should it fail, in more ways than one. It is a one-shot, and a miss could be fatal for us all. And Elder Taikou, I believe his suggestion at least deserves to be considered. We shall see what other options are at hand and decide later on. We still have time, as it is." He finished his speech and sat down once again, sagely intertwining his hands over his belly, like a satisfied old man who just made a fool out of a group of kids with his wise words.

He always liked to play the mentor. It was fun to watch pupils gaze in amazement.

Both men calmed themselves as they settled back in their positions.

"Very well. Dankan, you are dismissed. Oh, and please inform Sergeant Gorley that his presence here is requested." Taikou said with a tone of finality, and Dankan bowed to him and to the Tenkage before disappearing in a flash of light.

The Kage of Tomogakure sighed. It would not be an easy day.

"Let's see… Sergeant Gorley… must be the tenth time he is questioned for property damage after getting drunk to the dirt…" he muttered to himself as he shuffled through a few papers…

XxxxX

"Morning…"

"Morning…" they muttered at the same time as they met down the hallway, both in their respective sets of pajamas, orange and lavender.

It was around six in the morning when they woke up. Thirty minutes it took for them to wash in the single bathroom of the upper floor. They where too lazy in the morning to use the one downstairs as well…

After getting dressed in casual clothing, both went down for some breakfast, chatting nonsense on the way to kill the silence.

"What should we do today?" Naruto pondered to himself as he ate a ball of cereals. For once, maybe because of Hinata, his everyday diet was not _only _ramen.

"Maybe we can train." Hinata said with shrug, even though she wasn't quite in the mood for hard work this early.

Naruto seemed to share her mind on this one as he grunted and slurped down what milk remained.

"Let's check Tomo out some more. Maybe we can find Dankan to give us a tour." He said with a smile "We can train afterwards."

It was a good idea. At least they both thought so. No further argument came over this matter as they finished their breakfast and prepared for their second day in Tomogakure no Sato…

XxxxX

They had found Dankan wandering the Market district, looking at random shops and gazing over various trinkets of all kinds.

The Market ring, or district, of Tomogakure was a marvelous place, full of life and light.

No shadow seemed to hinder the people who merchandised their wares and those that purchased them. It was a beautiful day, puffy clouds hanging in the sky and the bright sun shining in between them.

Nevertheless, both Naruto and Hinata noticed the grim expression that had settled on Dankan's face in this otherwise perfect day.

They neared him, shouldering around people and trying their best to avoid bumping into anyone.

He noticed them. And his expression visibly changed. His glazed grey eyes suddenly held that familiar light in them, his joyous smile once again on his lips.

"Hey, Naruto, Hinata! How are you doing today?" he asked in greeting. They stood outside a jewelry shop, the marvelous exhibits behind the clear glass seemingly shining their own light albeit the strong sun above.

"We're fine, just wondering around. Say, could you give us a tour? We got lost the other day. Maybe you can help us to get to know the place." Naruto suggested, vividly lying about getting lost yesterday. Dankan nodded with a wide grin however, probably not noticing it.

They both smiled at his reaction. It was good that he had probably forgotten whatever troubled him.

For now.

XxxxX

The pink walls _where _a bad idea. He knew they where.

Imagine that you are a famous, serious looking business man that has millions to spare.

Now imagine that you call guests to your house. And what do they see when they enter the living room?

Pink. Lots of freaking pink.

Sasuke was both amazed and scared. Amazed that he was actually scared, and scared because he had never even imagined himself in a pink-world.

Of course, the bane and main reason of all these was our favorite pink lover.

Sakura.

He cursed under his breath. He knew he shouldn't have let her go shopping alone this morning. He had prevented the pink invasion yesterday, but he didn't imagine she would do it _again!_

With a sigh, he went outside the door and double-locked it. None would enter this house before he repainted it…

Now…

Where was a paint-shop anyway?

XxxxX

"… and that is all. I haven't told you about the statues in the central square have I? They're quite old, since the time of the first war. The First Tenkage and his son had sacrificed themselves in that war to repel the demons and create the mist that protects Tomo from outsiders. The First Tenkage was also the inventor of the technique Rikou-sensei used in the valley. It creates two wide, tall walls of Light that can keep any dark energy away. The First was one of the best in Meimeton based barriers…" Dankan kept on his rant as he looked over the statue that hovered before them with enthusiasm. He probably liked playing the tour-guide.

And both Naruto and Hinata listened. It was an intriguing story, and they both wanted to know as much of the history of their new home as they could. They had to know.

The tale of Tomogakure was a fairytale in itself. Dankan had talked about battles, coup-de-tats, forbidden romances within the high-ups, war and hunger, peace and serenity. He had talked much about everything.

Now he was revising the heroes that first established Tomo. The first Tenkage was actually a man from Kumo, who rallied up all the believers of this 'Light' days before the First ninja war started. The tension that scurried the land in those times made it difficult to move around. It was a fit in and on itself that they had managed to cross the borders of Suna without getting killed on sight.

"The Light rest his soul, the First was a man of honor. He wouldn't let anyone behind if it was in his hand to save him. And truthfully, they only lost a couple of warriors in the random skirmishes in between the way here…" Dankan continued.

The rest of the tale was how the first forged the laws of Tomo and established the Cathedral in the middle of town. It was only now that both newcomers raised their heads to see the large building that hovered above all others, build in shining marble and exotic jewelry, the Cathedral of Light basked in its own very beauty, masking even the sun.

"Amazed?" he chuckled "You'll have to get through there when the time comes. The Cathedral for us is what you may call… Academy?" he smiled, this word should be familiar to them both. They both nodded in amazement, their eyes still on the large establishment. Hinata hesitated to use her Byakugan, if only to have a better view…

"Let's move on." He waved and they followed, finally shaking themselves out of their trance.

Naruto really couldn't shake the feeling of uneasiness that had now settled within him…

Something was going on.

XxxxX

Sasuke had a lot to think about. One of those things was what the hell was he supposed to do in the next free days that he had to spent here before training began?

Scour Tomo again? With his Sharingan, he had memorized every alley and every street that there was in Tomo via a map he had found, a detailed one.

And here he was now, contemplating between leaving to go train somewhere or stay here and wait for Sakura to come back from wherever she went.

He feared about the latter… what would she bring when she came back? A stray cat? A buffalo? Maybe a pair of shoes… or even more pink!

He shivered at the idea as he gazed at the walls, the smell of fresh paint still hovering in the air. He was pretty sure that she would like this blue color…

He was even more sure that she would try to make it pink again. And he would, by _no _means let her do such a thing again. He would not let her ridicule him within his own house. He had bought the damn house! It was supposed to be his!

He closed his eyes to think for a moment…

If the sudden appearance of a light bulb above his head could be possible, then this was the moment that this impossibility should occur. For Sasuke had an idea.

He formed hand seals, one after the other. Slowly, he whispered his jutsu…

To a commoner's eye, the walls would begin to steadily change their color, from dark blue to a soft pink. Sakura would never tell the difference. She would never question anything 'pink'.

He sighed. With his mind at ease for now, Sasuke Uchiha left to go train, somewhere, anywhere that would be quiet.

And with no pink.

XxxxX

"You ok, Naruto?" Dankan's gaze was only questioning, as if he tried to guess how a trickster managed to make a bird disappear.

Naruto was clutching his stomach in pain… a horrid one. It wasn't about going to satisfy the natural need every human being has to every once in a while, no, this was literarily gut splitting.

Dankan was thankful that they had left the crowded streets for a less noisy neighborhood. If anything went wrong here…

No, if _anything_ went wrong, then he might as well kill Naruto now for the sake of them all. He was pretty sure though that Hinata wouldn't like the idea…

Naruto, on the other hand, knew this pain. It had happened once or twice when the damn fox had tried to pry control off him. But he wouldn't let that happen, no, not again. Not damn again.

The more he resisted, the more he felt the pain increasing…

Then it stopped… it all stopped, as if a breeze had lifted and taken away everything, as if the world had stopped to spin if only to spare him the pain. It felt good, this soothing feeling… this warm feeling…

Dankan was amazed, to say the least. He had expected many things to happen, and he had seen a lot in his young life, but he never knew that something like this could actually occur.

Hinata had stopped whatever was rising…

With a hug.

Believe it if you will, for Dankan did not. He knew that hugs where short of comforting, but they never could actually stop demons from going rampart, could they?

It was probably an anomaly, that which occurred to Naruto now. The now neutral chakra of the fox could not be properly contained from a seal that was designed to hold evil inside. The chakra was leaking, slowly seeping in Naruto's body.

This was not good. The chakra wasn't Kyuubi's, since it held no power, so it would be considered foreign from what Naruto's body was used to, thus he would reject it, thus it would slowly kill him.

Chakra rejection was one of the many problems medical science was trying to fix this last few decades. Many were the patients who would die from Chakra transfusion if the donor wasn't compatible with them. But why would someone donate chakra to another?

Well, Chakra is like blood to Shinobi. They need both to survive. Also many are those who had died from heavy chakra depletion.

But away with medics and back to the point, how the hell had Hinata stopped this?

It probably had something to do with the neutral chakra she hosted herself. She was close to Hakai's 'sealing', thus the jutsu could have also affected what Kyuubi chakra she had in her.

It was probably a scientific anomaly that he could not explain, neither did he want to. Already a headache was starting to form from all the thinking he had put in. And those two were still hugging! What the hell…

XxxxX

'… _it's okay…'_ silence... oblivion… he didn't know… _'…relax… it's okay…'_ who was it? The voice was quiet, airy, like the passing wind or a falling leaf; it came and went, nothing more…

'_You're safe… it's okay…'_ maybe he should listen to it… it felt so right and so convenient to just let go…let go of all the worries, let go of everything and lose himself in nothingness…

It sounded so good right now…

XxxxX

"Dankan, what's going on?" she asked in fear, worried lavender eyes gazing up at the white-robed man. He shook his head "Probably a chakra rejection symptom. The seal is leaking neutral chakra into him, and his body is rejecting it." From his mere voice, she could understand that he was probably even more worried than her.

'_This isn't good… if Naruto dies, then the demon-lord will too… all will be lost!'_ he slapped his cheek lightly. Now was not the time to panic. There where still things to be done. Naruto was a durable lot, he should be able to live normally for around a year before the symptoms became more frequent and stronger. But, depending on Naruto's resilience was not the best course of action. Maybe he should ask Rikou to put restraining seals around the Kyuubi's to store whatever chakra would leak out.

But they wouldn't last long. A year would be top. If Naruto didn't do something about it till then, then he would simply die when the seals would fade. Otherwise, he would have to be re-sealed for the rest of his life.

That would not do, neither for him, nor for Tomo.

The world and time was spinning… things where beginning to get complicated.

And he just didn't know what he was supposed to freaking do.

Damn… he needed a coffee.

Fast.

XxxxX

She didn't need more than a Byakugan glimpse to know that something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong. Naruto didn't have a normal stomachache, no, his tenant never allowed anything minor as this to express itself in such magnitude. So she knew.

She didn't know what to do. Scream? Run? Shout at Dankan to do something with that Light of his? No, she just didn't know what to do.

So she hugged him. She put all her will and strength and hugged him. She closed him in a tight embrace and held him close, whispering words of comfort, of care, of all that she felt for him.

And it was working. Thank Kami, it was working. He had stopped grunting in agony, he had stopped shaking like a fish out of the water. Finally, he was serene, at peace…

She felt a tear running down her cheek. It was stupid, and she knew it, but she feared, she _felt it,_ even for a moment, that he would die. No, she didn't want to think like that, she didn't want to feel like that. She only hugged him tighter and let her sobs take life…

XxxxX

Dankan was… amazed, to say the least. One moment, she was valiantly standing her ground to make sure he was ok, then broke down to soft sobs. She had probably seen with her bloodline what was going on and he was pretty sure that his words didn't help the situation either. Hinata was a Hyuuga, she knew better than anyone the workings of chakra.

So Chakra Rejection was a serious case. Chakra Transfusion was even rarer. From the moment the countries learnt of the dangers such an exchange would put the receiver in, they had banned it until the problem was solved. Naruto was lucky at first that Hinata's chakra happened to be compatible with his, but it seemed that the seal had other thoughts about Kyuubi's now white and neutral one.

But there was nothing much they could do… for now. What had to be done was some amateur sealing that even he could do, but he wanted to be sure, just in case. The Fourth Hokage's seal was more complex that it seemed. Such a matrix could prove fatal to trifle with if you didn't know its workings.

And Rikou was by far a better Fuuin user that he was… protection and sealing was his specialty. Open combat was the spot Dankan covered in their little two-man cell.

So, without further ado, Dankan stepped forward and eased Hinata away from the sleeping blonde, taking said teen on his shoulders with a grunt. He never liked lifting people…

XxxxX

"Hmm…" the old man on the hospital bed was, to be blunt, amazed.

With furrowed brows, he studied the seal carefully. Its circular patterns, the small spots that lied here and there, every detail that could prove handy. And it did, really.

"I have to admit, it won't be easy." His voice had a hint of tiredness in it. He was probably still recovering from all the chakra he used in his last battle with the darkness…

"One mistake and Namikaze's seal might as well be undone, or even worse, make its bearer go schizophrenic. There are many patterns that I am unable to understand, probably the Hokage's handiwork. But, if it will prolong his life, then it's worth the risk, rather than letting him die such a painful and unhonorable death." He was rubbing his chin in thought as the words left his mouth, Hinata and Dankan beside him looking worried as ever, each basking in their own fears.

He couldn't die… he just couldn't die… if he died, then he would disappear, he would go away… she didn't want that.

She didn't want her sun to flicker away, she didn't want his light to vanish in nothingness… he deserved so much more than that.

Death is something ultimate, something final. When someone is dead, he is dead. Nothing more, nothing less. What he leaves behind is what makes the difference…

It is the shared destiny of all. No entity can escape the grasp of death… none.

But, call her a fool, she believed him to be something invincible, something that could not be defeated so easily, by a mere rejection… no, it just couldn't be. Naruto was destined for great things, she could _feel _it.

Then why did the flame of his existence seem to flicker in the background of her mind? Why did the bright smile that resembled a tiny sun darken in the shadows of doubt?

All her hope lied in Rikou's hands. All her hope…

XxxxX

"I believe… I'm done" he said with sweat dripping down his forehead. What he tried to do was hazardous, for the health of them both. But he had to. No other choice was evident given the circumstances. He either did it or things would take a turn for the worst. It was preferable to risk it, rather than sit and think 'what if' in the future.

He had done it. It was finished.

The door opened…

And she shrieked. She shrieked in horrid terror.

"What have you done?! What have you done?!!" she yelled in despair.

"Things are finally put to their rightful place…" he answered, calm as ever. It didn't help ease her though.

"But blue?! You freaking painted everything blue?!" she yelled again. The man before her nodded.

"Of course. What's better than blue?" it sounded as if he questioned her very sanity.

"Sasuke! You can't have everything your way! We need some variation if we want to live in harmony!" her own little rant sounded like someone scolding about religion.

He shook his head "Look who's talking. Things where perfectly pink before, Sakura. Now they're blue. Get used to it." His eyes lowered, the bangs of his dark hair hiding his onyx eyes from view.

"The time has come… we have waited for so long… and now… finally…" he raised his orbs, the Sharingan evident now…

"Blue will conquer the world! Muahahhahahahaha!" he laughed like a maniac while Sakura could only gaze in terror.

"No… you couldn't… your very eyes are red!" she pointed out, hopping to distract him.

It worked. "Hm?" he looked at a nearby mirror, his eyes widening in fear…

"No…" he whispered, touching his own cheek in disbelief.

"NOOOOO!!!!"

The door creaked open, a certain Uchiha walking in with a towel around his shoulders, sweat dripping from his forehead after the exhausting training he had put himself in. He needed to warm up for what was to come…

Time itself seemed to freeze as both Sakura and Sasuke's screaming replica turned to look at the newcomer. They blinked once… twice…

"Sakura…" his voice was calm, his eyes calculating… the fake Sasuke disappeared in a cloud of smoke, probably a Kage Bunshin.

"Yeah…?" she asked weakly, sweat already forming.

"… what the fuck are you doing…?"

XxxxX

**A/N: Maybe a wierd way to end the chapter... oh well, tension's building, and that was my aim ;p comic relief always helps too.**


	13. Chapter 13: Strive

**A/N: Here you go, yet another chapter to have the day rolling again. More like an emotional chapter rathen than an informative one... oh well. Hope you enjoy.**

_**Towards The Heaven**_

_**Chapter 13: Strive**_

It felt weird… really weird. His body was so much calmer at the moment, a tranquility that seemed to seep all his pain, everything, away.

Even her form… he could she her, draining away in the background as he was unable to do a thing, unable to move or even call out to her, yell her name, touch her, anything.

A lone tear made his way down his eye as he watched in horror her smiling form dissipating, disappearing from his life and his heart. What was this image? A herald of the future? A reminder of the present? Why did his heart feel so hot and uneasy at this idea, so sad and painful…

'_Hinata…'_

XxxxX

A warm touch, a caring caress… that's what he felt when consciousness began to grip his mind once again. Somehow, relief washed over him at the knowledge that what he had seen was a dream… just a stupid, little dream…

He didn't open his eyes. He basked in the warmth of this touch, in the comfort of the bed he was probably in. It felt so nice to just be there, unmoving and uncaring of anything. At times, it really felt good to be nothing.

"Well, the sealing was successful at least. Don't allow him out of this bed for around a day or two. His body and chakra have to adapt to the new seals, otherwise they might break the moment he uses even a bit of chakra." It was Dankan's voice… he nearly grinned at the sound. Dankan always sounded so neutral yet decisive when he explained something… it suit him well.

He dared to half-open one eye to peer at his surroundings. Surely enough, the wooden walls let him know that he was in their newfound house, probably in his bedroom. But what sealing did they talk about? What was going on with him?

It took him a moment to actually notice the flow of dark-blue hair that stood beside him as well, nodding up and down in agreement to Dankan's words.

'_Hinata…' _fear gripped his heart at the reminder of his dream. Why did it have to be so painful to just think about her leaving? To just think about her presence fading from his life…

He didn't let it settle though, he didn't let his expression change. He closed his eye as Dankan walked out of the room, trying to be silent as he closed the door.

He could actually _feel _Hinata's gaze on him. A sigh of relief escaped her lips and he actually wondered what she was thinking about herself. He once again felt a warm hand on his cheek, then his forehead, then his cheek again. And it stayed there, a silent, comfortable warmth that was clearly hers. He felt his heartbeat rising at the idea and at the touch.

Why did such weird things begin to happen in the last few months when he was around her? Why would he worry about her whereabouts when she wasn't with him? Why would she be on his mind when he daydreamed? Why would one touch of hers actually make him happy?

Since when had he began to fall for her… really?

The idea both amazed him and scared him at the same time. All he ever knew about romance was Sakura's not-so-delicate punches and whatever he had read from a Shoujo manga that just happened to pass in his hands.

But Hinata wasn't like that, was she? She would never hit him, hell, she could hardly harm a fly! She would probably reject him with a kind smile and 'I'm sorry' or something like that.

He imagined her telling him these three words that could ruin him. The mere thought made his heart ache, made his mind numb. He nearly grunted, yet held it back as he knew that Hinata would retract her hand if he did so. Since when did she have that much effect on him anyway? She was Hinata for God's sake!

But maybe that was why he had fallen for her after all this time. And all it took for him to realize it was a warm touch, a touch that he wanted to always be there, to welcome and embrace him, tell him that someone was there, tell him that when he returned home it wouldn't be in an empty, dull apartment with no other voice to keep him company less he opened the TV.

To tell him that he could actually be happy, for once…

Was it even possible? For him, a man that had lived most of his life striving to survive from the sheer painfulness of everyday life, from the hatefulness that filled the air he breathed everyday, from every hit and strike that went his way even though no fault was really in his hands.

No, she wasn't like this, right? She wasn't one to judge him by that alone, no, she was Hinata for Kami's sake! The gentle heart she carried was something rarely seen in humans nowadays…

Why did he suddenly felt like crying? He wasn't sad, he wasn't in pain, yet he really felt like it. Keeping himself composed, careful not to even twitch, his expression remained unmoving as the pale hand that occupied his cheek left its post.

He heard her sigh. Slowly she sat up, silent footsteps taking her to the door.

When she left the room, Naruto himself slowly sat up on his bed, wondering what the hell was wrong with him and just what was he supposed to do now…

XxxxX

"Haven't you gone a little too far?" he asked with an expression of genuine curiosity, rather than concern.

Rikou nodded, slowly eating his meal at the hospital bed. "Indeed, I may have placed a seal or two more than what was intended, but just to be safe…"

"You know what I'm talking about."

He sighed "Alright. But you know that I have a point. We can't risk it, Dankan. If something went wrong, or _if _he fell in the wrong hands, it would be disastrous not only for us but for the rest of the countries as well." He sipped his tea.

"But was it really necessary? You obviously altered the matrix. What side-effects could that bring? Are you even aware of any of that?" urgency… he felt like that. What Rikou was trying to do was toying with his luck. The luck of them all.

"Dankan, I believe that as long as she is with him, the chances are slim to none."

"What if he's rejected? What if things _do _go wrong? Emotional pain can make one quite unstable you know." The hint behind these words didn't go unnoticed as the old man lowered his head.

"Yes… I do know. That's why I made a very crucial change… a fail-safe, if you will." His wise brown eyes raised to look at his student meaningfully.

Dankan's eyes only went wide in response.

XxxxX

"Alright, bring it on!" she yelled and he only smirked in response. Silently jumping back and into the shadows, his figure was only a blur within the befalling darkness.

She tried to pinpoint his movements, but he was just too fast. She had to admit, he was the fastest one in their group, by far the more agile.

But that didn't mean she would be lenient on him, ne?

Easily dodging a sword slash from the rear, she quickly recovered to lunch a punch to his handsome face. He avoided said punch himself as he jumped back.

Handsome? Come on Sakura, no time for this in the field.

Smirking, chakra quickly gathered in her fist, said fist slamming to the ground with unmatched might. Her opponent seemed unwavering at the threat though, as the ground before him exploded into numerous boulders.

He didn't expect the next thing that happened though. For once thankful to his Sharingan, Sasuke managed to dodge in the nick of time a punch that came from a charging Sakura, said punch missing and annihilating a tree behind him.

Had she just jumped through the chaos she herself created? Crafty…

Preparing his blade for another strike, Sasuke charged forward at the still recovering Sakura, intent on grasping the small chance that appeared before him.

"I win." He stated clearly and with no emotion, his sword now at her neck, ready to cut.

She was turned around so, he did fail to see the smirk on her face…

The earth under him was once again torn apart as a hand shot forward, intent on grasping his feet. It did manage to do so, the surprise enough to keep Sasuke rooted for a fatal moment.

Next thing he knew, another Sakura had her fist right before his face, an inch away from painfully blowing his head off.

She smiled. "What did you say?"

He smirked in response. "I must admit, pretty crafty. You raised Shadow Clones (thank Naruto) right after blowing the ground apart, sent one as a decoy to make me focus on him, hid another under the ground and waited your sweet time to trap me. Not bad, Sakura." His smirk was unwavering even as she took all the praise in, nose held high and all.

"But you seem to forget who you are dealing with." Curious emerald met laughing onyx.

In a moment, Sasuke had disappeared, melting away in the wind as if he wasn't made of concrete at all.

It was too late for Sakura to realize all this was a genjutsu.

A damn good one.

She sighed as Sasuke's blade once more appeared on her neck, this time _her _neck.

"As I said, I win." His triumphant smirk was there in all its glory.

She grimaced

"Jackass…"

"That's why you love me…" he whispered in her ear, the mood change so sudden that she felt a chill run up her spine.

"D-don't come that close…" she couldn't help stuttering. Suddenly she realized how hot she really was after all this straining training season, glistering sweat and dirt all over her.

"Oh? If you dislike it now's the chance to run away…" he commented in her ear once more, silently, melodically.

"I… I don't really dislike it…" was she blushing or what…?

"Baka Sasuke…"

XxxxX

"You're awake?" amazement covered her low voice as she carried a bowl of miso soup in the room. He simply nodded in response. For some reason, he actually felt really tired… last thing he remembered before waking up in this room was himself walking down a street along with Dankan and Hinata. All else was black.

"What… what happened?" he asked on impulse, curious at his own situation. Hinata hesitated for a moment before smiling and handing him the bowl.

"Nothing much… you just fainted in the street, maybe it was a sunstroke, have you got a fever?" all these hurried words made it even more suspicious, yet when her hand came to rest on his forehead to take his temperature, the mind that seconds ago had doubts now had frozen.

He noticed her blushing at her own movements, then retracting the offending hand nervously "S-sorry…. Just, just…" she didn't seem able to find the words. Her voice sounded stuck.

"Don't worry Hinata. I'm alright, I haven't been sick a day in my life!" he laughed lowly "It's not like I'm gonna die or anything." He laughed again, yet the somber expression she wore didn't encourage him for more.

"Uhh… Hinata-chan…?" he wondered. What was up with her all of a sudden?

She looked up, a wide, kind smile on her face. "Eat up, you must be tired, right?" she said smoothly, her voice barely above a whisper. It nearly sounded as if she held back tears…

Low movements brought her to the door and she exited silently, the only sound she made being the closing of the door. He kept staring at the wooden concrete before looking back at the soup. When had Hinata bought groceries to make food or anything? How long had he been out of it?

And what could possibly have had saddened her that much?

He grunted, yet started digging into his bowl. He really was hungry, after all.

XxxxX

She didn't move an inch after exiting his room, dark-blue bangs covering her eyes from the rest of the world. But there's wasn't anyone else in this house to see her, right? The only other occupant lied behind the door she had just closed.

Why did it have to hurt so much? Why did the idea of him passing away hurt so damn much? Why did she have to go and fall for him? Maybe, just maybe, if she didn't love him to begin with, she would be better off?

No, if she hadn't loved him in the start, then she wouldn't be where she was now. She would probably have been married off to some stranger she had never seen, Hanabi would be the clan head and she would be nothing more than a simple house-wife, trapped and forgotten in a never-ending nightmare.

But was this any better? She supposed it was. She would have a year with him, a year to be by his side, to be there for him and try to be happy, for once. And to make him happy. She wanted to make him happy…

Yet how would she do that? How would her timid self ever find the courage to confess a mere word? She had no confidence in herself, no confidence at all…

And that pained her even more. The idea of him dying without ever knowing about her feelings would be the worst torture she would have to live with for the rest of her life, knowing that he just never knew…

Where these tears…? She was crying wasn't she? So much pressure gathered up in her heart, so much pressure that it made her sick.

Fearful of him hearing her sobs, she began to slowly stagger away, occasional salty tears there to fall on her pale cheeks…

XxxxX

It was really good. The food was actually more than edible, a real joy for ones taste. He couldn't help grin at the mere thought that every food would be like that, since they lived together after all.

Wait… they did live together right…? It sounded so weird and forlorn to him, the idea of living along someone, sharing the same rooms, the same kitchen, living-room, bath…

A shiver came up, one that shook him whole.

_Hell _was he lucky. Living alone with a _girl _and being able to eat such food nonetheless!

But, now that he thought about it, forcing cooking on her seemed a little unfair… if they where to live under the same roof, he would have to take some responsibility as well ne?

Glancing at the clock, he was glad that it was around five in the afternoon. He would have the chance to cook dinner as 'thanks' to this…

Grinning like an idiot, he wondered if she had bought any groceries… judging by the ingredients in the soup, she probably did. The kitchen was void of anything edible in the first place, after all.

The same grin still on his face, he got up and prepared himself. It was still early, he would bid his time for a couple more hours. Till then, he might as well take care of the rest of the house…

For starters.

XxxxX

"So, how long have I been out?" he asked as he walked down the stairs, a surprised Hinata turning to look at him from a small sofa in the middle of the living room. Where her eyes a little puffy or something…? No, it must be his imagination.

Right?

Regardless of his thoughts, she still smiled and answered his question.

"About a day or so, nothing much." She explained and he finally understood why he had felt the 'call of nature' being so strong when he woke up…

Irrelevant. It wasn't the time to think about that.

"So, what have you been doing for a whole day on your own?" his quizzical expression betrayed his curiosity as cerulean eyes pierced into her lavender ones. Their eyes met, both stayed silent for a few seconds before she finally smiled back.

He could easily notice the corners of her lips twitching.

"I just walked around Tomo, hanged out with Sasuke-kun and Sakura-chan… nothing much…" her voice was quiet, withheld, not a match to the smiling image she tried to put up.

Naruto wasn't one of the best in reading expressions or moods, but he could easily tell that she was bothered by something… that something was wrong.

"Hina-chan…" he tried to keep his own volume at a low level. He had read somewhere that being gentle can make people more open to you… guess it was a chance to try it out here.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?" the caring tone he used made her want to cry even more, unbeknownst to him.

How could she ever tell him? How could she just speak these words, that he had something that wasn't curable in any known way? Tsunade-sama might have had known a technique, but she was so far away and out of reach right now…

And it felt like he was getting out of reach as well. As if an invisible chasm was opening between them, that he was fading away in a darkness that she could not touch, did not dare touch.

But she didn't want to lose him. She didn't want that cheerful smile and that confident voice to vanish from her life. She wanted him to stay alive, she wanted _him._

Where the tears in her eyes? His worried expression became one of fear…

"S-Sorry Hinata-chan! Did I say something wrong? Gomen, gomen, gomen…" he kept apologizing, kneeled on the floor as he was. She couldn't take it anymore, she couldn't take it…

With a startle Naruto found himself on the floor, Hinata clinging to him like a lifeline, her sobs still under control as steady tears found their way to his jacket.

The warmth of his body, his smell… that spicy spell that reminded her of ramen… it was _his _smell. It felt so good and comfortable, that she just let herself go, she let Hinata wait on the doorstep as she walked inside the sanctuary of his embrace and allowed her being to wail, to let out the frustration and pain, the fear that she felt in her heart.

And all he could do at the moment was to gently stroke her back, trying to sooth the pain she felt for whatever reason. He didn't need to understand what she was crying for, he didn't need to know why these tears came to life. All he needed to know was that she was sad in order for him to be there…

"It's okay Hinata…" he whispered, his words spent and unheard to the crying girl.

He actually felt like crying himself…

"It's okay…"

XxxxX

Rikou had went to sleep. It had taken him half an hour to explain the details of this crucial detail, but in the end Dankan had finally understood. But was this the right way? Was it really ok to do things like this? He was perplexed and unsure of what to do…

He wondered how Hinata, Sakura and Sasuke would take the news. Hinata already knew about this problem, but Sakura and Sasuke where probably blissfully unaware of anything still.

And they should stay that way. It would be better to brake the news to them when both Naruto and Hinata where ready.

He sighed… love could be so troublesome. The pain you had to go through, the sweet sensation of misery that settled in your heart. For him, love was a double-edged knife. With such a weapon, you either rise triumphant and happy or lose yourself in the abyss of despair.

He had seen many good people do crazy things for love. He had seen both men and women alike getting killed or even disobeying their families in the name of this emotion. Hinata had already done that, she had left her family in order to be where her heart desired… he just wasn't sure how further she would go.

And if the way she showed her emotions was any indication, Dankan was only fearful of what was to come. The life the warrior's of Tomo lived was only slightly different than that of a shinobi. Finding love in such an occupation was a rare and hard thing to get your hands onto, so almost everyone took whatever they could before it was too late.

He should probably keep an eye on the girl for the next month or so. Naruto was stabilized, but the Light only knew what she might do in her own grief…

They say, that living with nothing is worse than dying with everything. And it was true. It was so very true…

XxxxX

"You think its okay? Naruto may still be recovering." Sakura was torn between asking about her friend's farewell or leaving the two in their own privacy. Sasuke, as always, hadn't put as much spirit into it.

"That baka can recover fast, you know that." It sounded as if he doubted her intelligence.

He didn't try to hide it, and Sakura knew that too. Instead of arguing though, she just sighed. Sasuke was Sasuke, she couldn't change that. Maybe she didn't want to either.

The Uchiha himself was perplexed as to why the usual shout of disagreement didn't come. He shrugged it off though as the pink-haired girl rang the doorbell.

A smiling Hinata was there to greet them at the doorstep, her bangs wavering smoothly with the small gust of wind, she wearing a normal pair of shorts and a white t-shirt, nothing out of the ordinary for a usual household day.

Both of her friends smiled back, or at least Sakura did, though both noticed the slightly puffy eyes, outlines of red around her usually lavender irises.

Had she been crying? Was Naruto that bad?

Neither let worry settle till things where made clear. She welcomed them inside and let them sit in the living room. Sakura openly commented how cute the furniture and decorations was, while Sasuke himself had to admit that it looked more lively and full that their own house.

It was Sakura that began to tatter in dangerous matters "So, Hinata, where's Naruto?" she asked with a smile on her face, not a worry in the world.

Both where relieved at the image of the Hyuuga girl smiling back at them wholeheartedly, instead of the solemn expression they expected.

"He's in the kitchen." She giggled.

"What's Naruto doing in the kitchen? Wasting food?" Sasuke knew that, if it was Naruto that cooked, the food would either end up in the trash can or it would lurk around the house.

Unless it was ramen. He wondered if in the future, Naruto would pay more attention to how ramen was boiling rather than his own children…

Yet again he might as well be exaggerating.

"Oi! Sakura-chan! Sasuke-teme! The food is nearly ready! Want to join in tonight?" the joyful grin that was always etched on in his face was there, here to welcome them openly.

The pair of newcomers nodded with smiles on their faces.

"Well, sit down. Naruto-kun will probably be done in a few minutes or so." Hinata's voice sounded kind of weaker and more quiet that usual. Just what had she been going through these last few days…?

Yet she still kept that smile on her face. She openly put up the image that everything was ok, even though it glittered in her eyes, the truth, that nothing was at all.

Sasuke, being more observant, was actually the one to spot this. Sakura was in he own carefree world as she chattered in meaningless conversation with the Hyuuga.

One vital trait for survival was observation. Sasuke was glad he was good in it. It also came in handy with situations such as this.

But he didn't talk about it neither did he give any indication of his thoughts, physically or verbally. All he had to do for now was to observe… quiet and unnoticed, a true shinobi.

He also observed that, sounding so serious about a matter that could as well be trivial, was weird… even if it was his own thoughts.

XxxxX

"Hey! You guys have a party and didn't invite me?!" Dankan's voice held mock hurt. He even stuck out his lower lip in a pout, making both girls giggle. Naruto himself laughed as he slurped his ramen down happily.

"You can stay if you want Dankan-san. Naruto-kun cooked enough ramen for everyone." Hinata suggested.

The man's eyes literarily gleamed "Really?! Cool! I haven't had a decent dinner for so long…" he was about to actually drool before the food. If there was any food that Naruto could cook well, it was ramen. He ate this thing everyday back in the day!

And Dankan hadn't eaten anything decent recently… traveling around with an old man could do that.

So he set manners aside and joined in the cheerful atmosphere, glad and relieved that things would roll smoothly for the time being, that everyone was happy and that they enjoyed it for as long as it lasted.

Life can be cruel. But its through its cruelty that we can actually grow up enough in order to notice what true happiness is like…

XxxxX

It was dark… pitch darkness covered everything except for the occasional light of a torch or two. Nothing else illuminated the dark path the man walked into.

Yet that didn't seem to hinder him one bit. His steps where sure and solid, as if he knew exactly how much each foot needed to move before it touched the ground.

Slowly, he reached the door he was looking for within the dark corridors of the castle. The moonlight from behind him shone brightly through the glass of the giant window, casting his shadow on the wooden concrete before him.

Easily pulling the rather heavy looking door aside, he stepped inside the room, a chilling, cold feeling washing over him despite the warm weather.

The door slowly closed behind him on its own as he stepped even further inside. Torches light around him to accompany his form down the red carpet under his feet. Paintings, vases, statues, all these decorated the walls around him, each different from the other yet so similar altogether.

Finally, he reached another door. He didn't knock as he walked inside.

There where no torches in this room. Nothing illuminated the room rather than the pale light of the full moon at the background, the glass-wall absorbing it fully, in all of its beauty.

One thing clearly stood out though. The large, visible outline of what looked like a throne gazed back at him from the middle of the room.

He stepped before the throne and knelt down, head lowered in a wielding gesture.

A pair of intense red eyes opened from the position of the throne to look down upon him. The intense stare didn't go away for a second as the unblinking, clearly visible red orbs pierced him with their gaze.

It was as if the darkness it self had eyes…

"Speak…" a voice spoke, probably the owner of the red eyes. The man seemed to gulp, even though it went unnoticed to the shadowy being on the throne. Or not…

"My lord… I have vital information concerning our target." His voice spoke clearly despite the fear he so visibly felt. The shadow frowned upon him.

"Go on…" he urged.

The man gulped again "It seems that Hakai has done more damage that we thought…" even though his head was lowered, he could actually _feel _the scowl on his master's face deepening.

"The Kyuubi no Kitsune has been neutralized… but that brought forth the side-effects of Chakra repulsion… the boy's body can't take the change. He will probably die soon…" his voice was barely above a whisper as he spoke those last words.

The sound of teeth being gritted was low, but in the deafening silence of the room it sounded like a cannon firing.

"**How long…?"** he used the voice… he actually used his voice… he was pretty sure that he was going to die now… no, he wasn't only sure. He _knew _he was going to die. But better tell him the truth and die now rather than lie and be tortured to death later… if his master was actually kind enough to kill him, that is.

"**How. Long?" **crap, he made him ask again. He was definitely pissed now.

"Well… the guardian, Rikou, put restraining seals on him… they will probably hold the side-effects back for some time… around…" he gulped "… a year…" he didn't raise his head, but he closed his eyes as he prepared himself for the end.

"**Good. You m**ay go away now…" the man dared look up and saw his master relaxing back in his sit. His voice had also turned back to normal. Relief washed all over him as he quickly stood up and bowed deeply, silently leaving the room.

The shadow let out a small sigh.

"What shall we do now, Yaku-sama?" a voice spoke from behind the jeweled throne, said accessories sparkling in the light of the moon. Another shadow appeared next to the sitting man, his red eyes turning to gaze at him.

"First of, let him pay a visit to the Hellhounds. They're probably hungry…" his voice sounded nonchalant, as if it was an everyday thing. The man before him couldn't help but smirk in glee though.

"And… about Kyuubi." His face straightened as he prepared himself to listen. Yaku-sama never tolerated having to repeat himself.

"We can do little but watch over him for now. Prepare our best spy. This won't be easy." He said and the man beside him nodded as he prepared to leave the room as well.

"Oh… one more thing." The man turned and bowed lightly to his master, awaiting his wishes.

"Get me the scrolls I looked through yesterday…" the servant prevent his eyes from widening…

"Yaku-sama, forgive my rudeness, but would you actually consider this option?"

Yaku seriously thought about killing the man on the spot for doubting him. But, that would be a problem. This one was far more useful than the other damn roaches he had for servants.

Said man knew he was playing with his life at the moment… but he also knew that he was one of Yaku-sama's favorites. Yaku-sama took good care of his favorite toys, after all.

"It is only fitting that I consider this course of action too…" his red eyes seemed to examine something in his hand…

"After all, making them suffer is the most interesting way to go through, am I wrong?" a dangerous smirk was barely visible under those piercing crimson eyes…

The man bowed again "Y-you're right, Yaku-sama. Now, I will take my leave…" he said and began to walk away.

His master was truly evil… if he didn't know any better, he would have been killed since his first day here.

But, before he would have to fetch the scrolls, he had to feed the dogs…

A smirk of glee found its way on his face as he imagined the screams…

XxxxX

**A/N: Ok, so its been a really long time since I had a decent review. Hell, I get an average of four, five reviews per chapter T.T there where times that there would be twenty... come on guys, I need to feel the LOVE! How can I write when I feel like that only a few people actually care? For these people alone, I will keep writing, but that doesn't mean my motivation will run along side me too -.- I don't feel really well these days, probably that's why I tend to take my sweet time with writing. If only you guys gave me some fuel, I promise I will update faster. **

**But wether if that will happen or not, special thanks to those that stick around and thanks to everyone that reads my story. I'm glad I'm not left on the side at least.**

**By the way, to those that read The Ashbringer too, do you think that some comical Omake's would fit here too? I'm not sure if I should put them in Towards The Heaven too, please let me have your opinion over this matter =) (Of course they won't be the same Omake's, I'm not lame like that =)**

**Till we meet again,**

**HAM (HoNder All Mighty, ;p)  
**


	14. Chapter 14: TwinBlade

**A/N: It has been a long time since I've updated, no? =P**** My apologies to everyone that had been reading this story and I hope still does. I had a major writer's block regarding what I should make out of this chapter, as well as lots of exams coming up in school and other shit happening here and there. Since I had no inspiration here, I turned my attention towards The Ashbringer: Shinobi of the Light where I had a clear picture of what to do and kept on with that story.**

**Now I've returned here to place this one back on track.**

**The path has been delayed for too long. Let us continue our journey…**

_**Towards The Heaven**_

_**Chapter 14**_

_**Twin-blade**_

It was so peaceful here… so calm and isolated… it felt nice… really nice.

Being calm… carefree… only children had the right to be so. Only children… but was he deprived of this right when he was of such an age?

Yes… he was deprived of it… of it all.

And now here he lied, gazing up at the wide blue yonder that could describe his life.

The warm beams of the sun that fought through the dark clouds that hang on the sky. A testament to his own courage and brilliant smiles through moments of strife.

The stormy clouds, harbingers of what he went through in all these years. But what these clouds offered was cleansing water, water that could sweep all your worries away. Water that for once could make you happy.

But who liked gazing at falling rain drops anyway? Well… he did for one.

A breeze blew, strong yet gentle, messing with his blond locks. Life seemed to be like that… a breeze that came and went.

Kyuubi had been quiet all this time… the demon seemed content to have himself retracted back within his cage, speaking no words and disturbing him not. It was so quiet in here… out there… everywhere. Everything was quiet.

As if a showdown was about to commence.

He was a couple kilometers away from Tomogakure, the village hidden in the light. None should have followed him. It was too early in the morning, too early for even their classes to have began.

The academy here was fairly easy. General book lessons where just a breeze. The real problem came when they had to learn how to handle the Light, or so they liked to call it.

Instead of pulling your chakra to give it either a destructive or healing form, you had to manipulate it into a more pure form, into the Light. Getting rid of the impurities, the 'blueness' of the chakra, was the first step down the path of the light.

But that wasn't easy. Long hours of meditation where eating up his days. His and everyone else's. Sasuke, for some weird reason had a harder time than them all…

Naruto could feel no stir in his body when he tried to call upon the divine power, as the people here liked to call it. It was said that there once was a great Kage, who's body and mind where blessed by the holy light to guide his people down the path of righteousness, down the path of glory and freedom. That man was the first Light-bender… the last Paladin.

Paladins… they where said to be something like a templar, the elite defender's of the city, the ultimate users of the Light's grace in all its glory.

But there was none of them now. Younger generations had began to wither the old ways away, their faith weak and meek as they reveled in the comfort of the freedom they where born with.

Naruto sighed. He had a hard time calling the Light too.

But what he had an even harder time, was a certain blue-haired housemate.

She had been avoiding him most of the time, as if he was the plague. She would only greet him in the morning and at night, in the academy and they would casually talk during eating times. But that was mostly it.

Where had the friendly atmosphere gone? Where had her feelings gone… where had his gone?

He felt abandoned. But he shouldn't be one to talk. Whenever Sakura was hit on by people in the academy, Sasuke was there to scare them shitless with a glare of his. But was Naruto there? No.

Whenever someone would try and hit on Hinata, Naruto wasn't there. The girl probably hadn't realized yet how freaking _beautiful _she really was. People would drool when she passed by, men would chat and comment on her when she wasn't looking.

And he _hated _it. He wanted to go and punch those perverted grins out of their faces. This was Hinata for crying out loud! She was his friend! She was… she was…

Why did it hurt so much…? Why did simply not talking to him hurt so much…?

Why did he want to run up to her and hug her tightly whenever she turned her back? Why whenever he saw her stressed he would want to comfort her, even though he had no idea what she was stressed about?

Why was he so stupid? _Why?_

Why did his feelings tend to soar so easily as of late…?

He hated this. He hated having to decide between his heart and his mind. Though he wasn't sure what decision the later had come into.

He closed his eyes, letting his senses expand as he relaxed on the every green valley. The grass tickled wherever there was bare skin and the smell of the forest along with fresh dirt would accompany swift.

It was like… magic.

And as if this magic wasn't enough, even more came to add itself in the bracket of fate.

He didn't move an inch as he felt that so familiar chakra signature, that soothing feeling of her presence, the soft flow of the blue energy within her… the very mirror of a soul hidden within a body.

A shell of mortality in a world that seemed immortal…

Transparent feelings that weaved themselves in nothingness, glimmering in the darkness.

May that was what life was all about. A flicker, then nothing.

But what if that flicker persisted? What if it turned into a soaring fire? A blazing flame? A relentless inferno? What if there was more to life that simply being, than simply accepting who or what you are and moving on, to something brighter, to something more?

He wanted to find that something more. He wanted to see what was beyond the realm of darkness. And she was his way, the path he had to take in order to open his eyes, his heart, to the blessed light.

"It's calm… isn't it?" a soft song that entwined with the breeze, a silent prayer that spoke of nothing.

"Yeah… it is…" an aberration of existence, a candle of fire in an empty castle.

"Too calm to be true, really." A laugh, an expression of joy, of sorrow, of a world that twisted and run around itself in endless circles.

"We should savor it… you never know when chaos will rise again, right?" obstruction of vanity, the will to go on…

"Maybe chaos is always there… but we just can't see it?" a question of sanity, an oppression of reality.

"Or maybe… our very definition of chaos is wrong to begin with?" a gentle smile, the wings of heaven…

"Hinata…" sitting up, the blonde let his eyes open again, gazing out in the open fields that rolled before him with the blows of the wind, the howling breezes of the upcoming winter.

"You have all been hiding something from me…" it wasn't a question, it wasn't a statement. It was the truth. He knew it was. For she didn't answer. Her silence spoke more than her words ever could. The avoidance of his eyes hurt…

"What is it, Hinata? What's so great a secret that I can't be told about?" the urgent tone of his voice, the thirst for knowledge, the irritation of naivety. All in one phrase.

It wasn't a matter of if he should hear it. It was a matter of if he could handle it.

"Tell me… please…" she still avoided his eyes, still kept away from his gaze. Maybe it disappointed him more than it annoyed him. She opened her lips to speak…

But the world went black.

XxxxX

Twisting… twisting and twisting in an endless nether that went on and on… it felt like a millennia had passed, or maybe a millisecond. He couldn't tell. But next time he opened his eyes, the world was a different place.

Away were the open fields and the calming wind, the caressing sun and the puffy clouds. This was a place he would rather not be, the center of all his nightmares, of all his pain, the heart of his oblivion.

The Kyuubi's cage.

"What do you want?" he yelled towards the towering bars of iron. No answer came as his voice echoed into the void, resonating on the wide, tall walls. He waited and waited, as seconds, minutes, hours passed. But no answer came.

"Kyuubi! What the hell is wrong with you?!" he yelled again. And this time, it seemed as if this whole bizarre world stirred, moved, changed. The bars on the cage cracked under sightless pressure, moaning.

"**Omae… baka no gaki…**" it was the deep voice of evil, the very structure of darkness that spoke these words. But there was no malice in it, no urge to kill, no blood amidst its words. Something was amiss.

"**So you noticed?" **Naruto waited as the great demon finally began to come into view, its eyes a… yellow color?

"**You are more of a fool than I ever expected you to be, human." **Naruto's eyes gazed on, disbelieving as the gigantic fox that appeared before him held a fur of pure white, like a sculpture covered in snow. Where was the orange-red fur? The crimson red eyes?

"**Baka! But… you never were one for details, eh? Fine, I'll let you on then."**

"**What you always had sealed within you for my yang yuki, my chakra, my power. Now, my power was a color of red, no?" **the teen nodded dumbly.

"**So my fur was red as well. Now, imagine a shift in that chakra, a change. Wouldn't that change affect my structure as well?" **it did make some sense, like… well, there was no solid comparison he could come up with. But it did sound plausible.

"And is that reason enough to summon me here? I already know of that!" he yelled, turning and walking towards the exit. "I'm going…"

"**Didn't you want to know the truth, kid? Didn't you want to know what your friends obscured from you?" **those words held Naruto back as he stopped for a moment, weighting his options. Stay and listen to the demon, or to Hinata? Who did he trust more? Or rather, who did he think would tell him the truth? Would Hinata tell him what was going on truthfully, or would she hide it again? Would the Kyuubi enlighten him, or would it use him for its own dark purposes?

If he took a step forward now, it would be Hinata…

Clenching his teeth, Naruto moved…

"Tell me, bastard fox…" the demon only grinned in response…

XxxxX

"Ah, if it isn't our faithful commander! Long time no see, indeed!" his voice was cheerful and energetic, full of life and movements, unlike his body…

"Shut your trap, Sinshi. I'm not here for games…" Hakai's glare was deadly, as was the blade he unsheathed. The man named Sinshi gazed back with bored yellow eyes, as if this was nothing new.

Tall and slim, long legs and an attire that people would say was too… formal, for combat. Tuxedos aren't battle garments, anyway. A single pink rose rested on his chest and another red one in his hands. He was pale as death, and his hair held a bronze color to them.

None of which matter to Hakai, of course. He was here to kill.

And so he would.

"Let's see how much you've grown, my little Hakaisha." The man said with a wide smirk, which Hakai returned with a far more bloody, crazed, forlorn one.

"Futaraba-sensei is already dead… what makes you think you'll stand above him, Sinshi?" Hakai's sword blazed with a strange purple hue, glimmering in the darkness of the forest. It was daytime outside… but not in here.

"Forget that you're playing on my grounds, my little former-student? This **'Kuro Shinrin (Dark Woods)' **is very unique… you know…" he brought the rose he held to his nose, breathing deeply.

"You think your little forest will stop me, necromancer?" a bit of sarcasm was laced within these words. Sinshi shrugged. "Who knows…" he raised a hand, and the ground began to shook…

"Why not see for ourselves?" he said with a smirk as howls of wind began to swarm within the dark woods. Hakai brought his hands in a one-handed seal, as his **'Oni-tate (Demon Shield)' **immediately rose. The winds clashed with the shield but didn't penetrate. Hakai embedded his sword in the ground as his hands run through hand-seals.

"**Makaiton: Hoiki (Hell release: Breath of Fire)!" **he yelled and exhaled as a breath of dark crimson flames shot forward, empowered by the winds. Sinshi frowned as he jumped backwards, throwing his rose forward. The single flower expanded, creating a wall of roses and wines, protecting him from the menacing flames.

There where many types of fire. The Makaiton type of flames though, was something far stronger than any Katon jutsu could ever match. They where flames straight from hell… the only nin said to ever come even close where the Uchiha, with the legendary undying fires of Amaterasu.

Hakai watched as Sinshi retreated in the darkness of the woods. He smirked as his hands went for more seals… his former teacher had done the greatest mistake.

"**Makai Kuchiyose (Hell Summoning)!" **he yelled, slamming his palm on the ground. Instead of kanji and smoke, flames arose, engulfing the area for a moment. When that moment was gone, blazing hounds appeared before the man, eyes red and fangs bared, fur colors varying from dark brown to pitch black.

Hellhounds.

The dogs immediately started barking as they gave chase within the forest, moving around with excellent accuracy and agility, hunting for their prey.

Hakai simply smirked, watching his dogs scan the area. The one disadvantage this 'Dark Woods' had as a technique, was that they enclosed both the caster and his victim within this dome of thick foliage. While it did indeed enhance the user's abilities and weakened the opponent, Hakai was a powerhouse fighter, a straight on combatant that had a variety of attacks that could bring his opponent out for him to slay. He was a hunter. A destroyer.

Sinshi didn't stand a chance to begin with.

Soon he sensed one of his dogs had found the target. He didn't lose a second as he gave chase himself…

XxxxX

"You mean… I'm… really…" his eyes were wide and his breath labored. He didn't want to believe it. Maybe it was all a bad dream…

"**No shit, if this was a dream then your sub-consciousness has one hell of an imagination." **The demon added in his thoughts with sarcasm **"That warrior messed with our seal too much. By alternating my chakra, he also nullified a big part of the seal. What the fourth put on you was never meant for this. The seal considers my chakras now foreign and not what it should hold in. It probably believes that I'm dead, since there's no demonic chakra left inside anymore. The seal itself will begin to dissolve soon, letting me free.**" The demon frowned.

"**But if this chakra bursts into your system so suddenly, foreign and neutral as it is, it will disrupt the flow of your natural chakra. While my own chakra ****usually did replace your real one, your body was already accustomed to that. But if this much of my 'white chakra' roams inside your system, the disarray this will bring will kill you almost instantly. And painfully. Get it now, baka?" **the demon frowned down at Naruto's still, shocked form. To know you will die… and sometime soon too. That was too much. He didn't want to die. Call him a coward, but he still had so many things to do! There was no way he could die now!

Kyuubi smirked **"Then what are you going to do, Uzumaki Naruto?"** he asked, expectant. Naruto in response, lowered his eyes, letting his mind flow away for a moment, to places where worries didn't exist, where death wasn't an option…

But could he let himself stay in such a world? There was reality to take care of, things he had to do, people he had yet to meet, relationships he had yet to issue!

He had no time to die now. He couldn't die now.

Who said that to begin with? Who defined that he would die anyway? But did he ever have a choice in his life? Did he ever had an option to choose this or that? No, for people always deprived him of what he wanted, always did whatever they could to stop him from achieving his objective. But did he surrender?

No… he made his own choices. If they don't give, then you must search and take yourself. Nothing good comes on its own, he knew that much.

So he looked up at the demon with determination. Said monster raised an eyebrow

"**How far are you willing to go in order to live, human? What are you willing to sacrifice?" **he asked, waiting an answer once more. Naruto simply shook his head, surprising the demon.

"If I have to sacrifice others for my sake, then I'd rather live what months or days I have left in desperation. But, if I can help it…" he clenched his fists "Then I will not die! I'll do anything in my power to stay alive till the last second! You hear me, stupid demon?! Until the last, second!" he yelled towards the caged beast, which had a smirk grow more and more on its fanged mouth.

"**Very well, Uzumaki. Seems you've made up your mind. But the real choice has yet to come…" **he laughed **"I shall tell you how to acquire the gift of life once again, boy. I shall tell you what you need to do to keep living, with even more power that will be unmatched by any!"** for some reason, Kyuubi seemed excited

"**Either oblivion or salvation, either destruction or redemption, what you'll bring to the world will be either, depending on the choice you'll make. But that is later to come. For now, listen well, Uzumaki Naruto, for I'll repeat myself again not…"**

XxxxX

"You… bastard… we all had so many hopes in you…" Sinshi lied beaten on the ground, blood pouring from various wounds, his clothes torn and battered, his eyes glaring daggers at the towering warrior. Hakai only smirked back in response…

"So I've been told. Futaraba-sensei was speaking the same shit as you do… how I was a prestigious student, how I could have accomplished so much…" he raised his sword a bit higher, the purple hue growing and growing.

"And what did you do, Hakai?! Turn your back on us! On your family!" the man coughed up some blood at the pressure his yelling gave his beaten body.

"You… will never get all the keys… I and Futaraba are the weakest among the guardians… the gates of Erebus will never open for you, you motherless piece of…" he didn't finish his words as Hakai's sword found its way in his heart, piercing and obliterating it. The warrior retracted his blade, spitting on the corpse of the fallen man.

"Who said it's for me, asshole?" and with that, he began to walk away as the woods around him dissipated in the shadows…

XxxxX

He chuckled lightly as she kept opening and closing her mouth, the words she wanted to speak dying in her throat and coming back up, repeating the process. It was a little comical, despite the situation.

He raised his own hand for her to silence "Its okay, Hinata… you can tell me when you're ready." There was a part of him that was disappointed in himself, that in the end he didn't trust her and went to the demon for answers. But, he could see why she would not tell him. It was hard for her to speak those words, cruel as they where. They didn't fit Hinata.

She wanted to protect him and herself from that pain. She wanted him to live what time he had left happily, without such a worry trifling in his mind.

He could understand that. He was happy for that. That she thought of him. In her own way, she was worried. Her world was probably trembling right now, as his own existence had began to dissipate ever so slowly…

That fear in her eyes… that feeling of being lost, naïve and not knowing what to do in a dark night, away from home. Maybe that's what she felt like.

He wanted to guide her, show her the right path as well, so she wouldn't be lost anymore, so that their hands could reach out and touch the transparent reality… together…

Her reluctance was visible behind those pale lavender eyes. She _wanted _to speak her mind, but her lips where sealed, held back.

"Hinata…" he had to say it now. He had to say it. There wouldn't be any other chance like this. He would be damned if he didn't form the words now… he would damn himself if he had to.

"Touchy moment, no?" both teens jumped at the new voice, and Naruto couldn't help a glare towards the interrupter. He was so close…

But then his eyes went wide as he recognized the bearer of said voice. There was a bit of difference in him… his eyes held a yellow, almost brown color rather than the usual icy blue, and instead of a black plate armor, his gear now seemed compromised of brown and red colored leather, from head to toe. On his back rested two swords…

"Hakai…?" he whispered, remembering the name. The man winked at him

"Ah, you're a good one. You _almost _got it right." The man said, unsheathing his swords. The blades looked like simply broadswords, maybe a little too heavy for a human to dual wield.

But was Hakai human?

The man licked the edge of one of his swords, as if to prove a point "Die now, ask questions later." He said with that familiar sickening smirk, charging forward with both swords poised to strike.

Naruto jumped away as did Hinata, putting some distance between them and their attacker. The blonde nin grunted as he set his hands in a familiar hand-seal, preparing his technique.

"Not so fast…" Hakai threw one of his blades at the blonde, disrupting the summoning as Naruto had to dodge the sword. The assassin simply whispered one word before the thrown sword was summoned in his waiting hand once again.

Hinata activated her Byakugan, prepared to fight the intruder.

But her eyes shocked her. Instead of the usual blue hue of a person's chakra… this man was… yellow?

Maybe he was a jinchuuriki as well? These kind of people where the only ones see had ever seen with different chakra colors, depending on the tailed beast. Naruto's for example, where red. But… it couldn't be…

The man glanced at her, his eyes malicious and deadly. He embedded one sword on the ground and made one-handed seals, whispering a few words…

His body seemed to split in another clone, now both men holding the same smirk on their faces and one sword each, instead of dual wielding.

"I'm Hakai's best assassin, Mugon (Silence)! I'll make sure you kids never see or hear it coming…" he laughed, as his body seemed to dissolve in the wind.

Both teens stayed alert though, as they could still feel his presence shifting around. Naruto squinted as he tried to find the man's whereabouts by sight. No such luck.

Hinata had an easier time as she could see the chakra of the man dancing through the air, whispering around in the howling breeze. How was that even possible? How could he make his body one with the wind?

She dodged in time as a sword materialized out of nowhere, going for her neck. The same sword went for her again and she winced as she parried the forceful blade with a kunai. It was strong, even though there seemed to be no arm supporting it.

Naruto had no easier time as an identical sword was going after his life. He also had a harder time dodging as he could never tell from where the blade would materialize, having to evade the instant it appeared.

"Why the hell are you doing this? Haven't you already messed with us enough, Hakai?!" he yelled with rage, parrying another strike. Surprised he was when the attacks seemed to seize for a moment… then the man's voice laughed, the noise echoing as if from a far away place, from another world.

"You, have no idea what potential your powers hold, do you, jinchuuriki?" he said "Hasn't your demon told you yet? Hasn't he told you what awaits you soon?" how did he know? How could he tell? Naruto's eyes scanned the ground, the trees, the sky, any place he could be so that he could shut him up.

Hinata's eyes widened in fear as she heard those words…

"Yes… he has told you already that you're going to die, has he not? Of course, why wait for a stupid indecisive girl to speak them to you? Go straight for the knowledgeable demon. Her words would probably mean nothing anyway…" Naruto grunted as he clenched his fists, rage filling his very being.

Damn piece of leathery sneaky shit, speaking of her like that! There was no way in hell he would ever think that way for Hinata! She was precious! She was more than that! He trusted her… he really did.

Hakai laughed again… the wind shifted as a sword materialized at the back of Naruto's neck, an inch away from taking his life. But the teen didn't budge an inch.

"Time to die, nevertheless." Hakai spoke, licking his lips. The sword pierced…

And Naruto exploded.

He really did. His body expanded and exploded in a fiery inferno that consumed the attacker completely, be he the wind or anything else.

Explosive clones where useful.

Hinata let out a breath of relief, glad to see his chakra signature alive and well in the nearby trees. She ducked down, avoiding another beheading attack.

"Tsk. You kids are good, taking out my clone like that." He commented, his body beginning to materialize, taking form and shape, seizing the flying sword.

"But, the real Hakai put only one tenth of his real strength in me… I'm weak as hell." He complained, scratching his head, disappointed with himself.

"The real… Hakai?" Hinata questioned, watching the man carefully. He smirked at her, that so strange smirk of his.

"Lord Hakai is a Hell Knight, a warrior with exceptional abilities and strength beyond what any mediocre demon could ever imagine. I, am just one servant of his that's bound to his blood. You kids stand no chance against the real thing…" he licked his blade once more.

"Uzumaki Naruto… you'll never reach the Twin-blades, my master will make sure of that." He laughed, as said blonde walked out of the trees.

"Whatever obstacle stands before me… I will take it down! And no Hell whatever will stop me from it!" he yelled back at the fake Hakai. The man glared at him

"Fool! You think it to be that easy to get all the keys? My master himself holds two of them as it is, and there are three more to achieve!" he shouted "There is no way someone like you could ever defeat the three last guardians… let alone my master!" a laugh escaped his maddened grin "If you truly wish to open either the gates of Elysian or the gates of Erebus, you'll have to be stronger than this… little boy." He laughed again, but had no time to do anything else as Naruto came charging in, Rasengan in hand.

The man barely had time to raise his sword in a vain parry, for Naruto's attack pierced right through the metal and into his defenseless opponent…

With a cry, the assassin was destroyed, leaving nothing but wisps of chakra behind…

They were _both _clones… recon units, sent by the original. That made both teens worry… they knew Hakai had power, but…

"Let's go back, Hinata." he finally spoke, turning to look at the still-standing girl. She glanced back at him with worry.

"I have something I want to talk about with everyone…" he grinned, extending one hand. She gazed at it with wonder for a brief moment, before her hand moved on its own upon his waiting palm.

"I have something I want to talk to you about too..." his grin was wide as ever.

XxxxX

"What do you want to tell us all, Naruto-kun?" she half asked, half whispered as they where making their way through the streets of Tomo and towards where they knew Sasuke's and Sakura's house to be.

He grinned at her "I found a way to solve the problem." He said happily, like a kid that suddenly discovered a hidden jar of cookies.

She looked at him quizzically "What problem…?" she had a feeling at the bottom of her stomach that told her she knew _exactly _what kind of problem he was talking about.

He smiled sadly at her, the cheerfulness from before gone, an eerie gentleness overtaking his happy demeanor. "Don't worry Hinata… everything will work out. I promise." His mysterious answers didn't help any in calming her either. What was he _exactly _talking about…?

Sooner than she would like to, they had already reached Sasuke's and Sakura's house. They could even make out Sakura yelling at the Uchiha about something, like they where arguing which color to buy the couch in… again.

Naruto sighed as he stepped inside without knocking, the two 'love-birds' bickering with each other, oblivious to his presence even as Hinata walked beside him and closed the door with a thud.

"I told you Sakura, _pink _is NOT a color I want in this living room!" Sasuke half yelled half growled at her. Said pink-lover though looked relentless.

"And I'm telling you that this color would brighten things up, instead of such a dull blue!" she didn't resist in yelling as she pointed out the blue walls the inside of the building was decorated with.

Naruto shook his head, groaning as they kept on with this pointless argument for a few more minutes, Hinata having already pulled a chair out of nowhere to observe them silently from.

"Guys…" Naruto finally spoke but his words died out as their yelling intensified. The blonde was feeling his patience running thin…

"GUYS!!" he roared the moment he found an opening, earning the glares of his two friends.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT?!" they shouted back in unison, glaring death at the one who dared interrupt their daily routine. Naruto seemed unthawed though as he smoothly ignored whatever look they where giving him.

"I need to talk to you about something important." He said in a tone that demanded attention, filled with seriousness. Still reluctant, the two controlled themselves as they looked away from Naruto and from each other, both too stubborn to give up on any argument whatsoever. They would continue this later probably…

"Why helloooooo!! How are our two love-sick friends deal with this little love quarrel? Still haven't figured it out ?" Dankan seemed to appear out of nowhere as he jumped inside the house from the open window, grinning widely at the whole group. Hinata and Naruto were the only ones to grin back as Sasuke and Sakura ignored the man.

"Sasuke, Sakura…" Dankan puffed out his chest, making himself as tall as possible and his tone as serious and masculine as he could.

"Remember this one thing: You can overcome any obstacle, as long as you believe in…" he stroke a pose "The power of LOVE!! Chikara no Ai I tell you!" he roared breathlessly in a fashion and with a passion that rivaled a certain green beast of Konoha.

"What do you want… Dankan?" Sasuke asked after a moment of silence as the man's words died away. That didn't seem to phase his grin though.

"Uh, notin'. Just came to check up on you two idiots and warn you that if you continue yelling like that you will be arrested for disturbance of peace. Hell, I could hear you from the top ring of the city!" he picked his ear as if to make a point.

Sasuke turned around, ready to walk away "Tsk. Fine." He simply said as he prepared to ascent the stairs.

"Wait! Sasuke!" they all turned along with the Uchiha at the sound of Naruto's voice.

"It's good that you came Dankan. I have something I want to talk with everyone about…" he snuck a glance at Hinata, who seemed to peer at him more intently than any other occupant of the room. She _wanted _to know.

And he had to explain, no?

XxxxX

"So… you're telling us… that the demon in your belly found a way to save you?" Sasuke asked with a raised eyebrow, disbelief written all over his face. Hinata and Sakura looked on in awe and hope, while Dankan remained silent during the whole ordeal.

The blonde nodded "Just before I and Hinata where attacked by a strange assassins, whom we defeated" he began "I was drawn in my mindscape from Kyuubi. There it told me what was going wrong with the seal and what I had to do in order to prevent it… and my death." He spoke slowly, whispering the last part. They all glanced at Hinata, excluding the blonde who lowered his head. The girl was obviously holding a breath… they where sure she was reluctant to let that breath go.

"What Kyuubi told you is very troubling… Naruto…" Dankan spoke up out of nowhere, earning everyone's attention. The blonde raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" he asked, intent to learn more. Dankan sighed as he crossed one leg over the other and raised his palm before him.

Flickers of light began to take form around his hand before images started to slip and dance around.

"What you see here are the fields of Elysian. Some have come to call it, 'Paradise', some others, 'Nirvana', and some others, 'Oblivion'." He began as pictures of grassy fields full of life, trees, birds, animals, running waters and everything naturally possible began playing one after the other.

"Strange names indeed. But there's a catch about this so called, 'Paradise'…" he leaned forward, uncrossing his legs.

"Has Kyuubi told you, Naruto, that whomever passes either the gates of Elysian or Erebus…" he looked at the blonde straight in the eye, all the seriousness of the world gathered in his gaze.

"Never comes back?"

XxxxX

"You think Dankan will convince him?" Riku wasn't unfaithful in his student, but he knew very well how stubborn the Uzumaki could be in his own way. An infuriating way.

The Tenkage chuckled as he stroke his beard, taking in the scenery of Tomo before him, marveling in the cool breeze that blew by. There didn't seem to be a care in the world… this season would be one of the best they had in years.

"I assure you, my old friend, that your student doesn't stand a chance." He said with a smile, turning his gaze towards the direction where he knew the aforementioned man would be having a conversation now.

"That Naruto child has his own destiny to fulfill, a destiny that just happens to have us involved in the picture." His smile turned a little sadder "Traveling through the lands in search for a new future, this child has given up on his dreams… It's the first thing he ever gave up." How sad was it really, to hold back something you love only because of others.

"But, that doesn't mean that his dreams gave up on him, right?" he grinned back at his old friend who simply grunted in response, not sure what answer to give.

"I know what Kyuubi is capable of… and what Naruto is as well. His training in the arts of the Light has been splendid this past month. He can even summon and use it at his will, if only a in a little restricted way. All he lacks is experience, I tell you." He smiled as another wind blew by.

"That boy will chase his dreams again one day." He said practically to no one, yet the Tenkage nodded.

"But his dreams will choose the fate of us all, will they not?" he spoke to no one himself…

XxxxX

"What… what do you mean… never comes back…?" Naruto could feel himself sweating as what hope he had was beginning to slip away.

"There's a reason the Elysian fields are also called, 'Oblivion'. What makes them unique and different from Erebus is that when you enter those fields…" the light faded from Dankan's hands as he crossed them before his chest.

"Your mind will crumble. All memories of your life will be gone and all you'll know is how to walk and talk, nothing more." He began "each day will pass by in the blink of an eye and you won't know the difference. Albeit from living an eternal life of bliss, you will also be doomed in naivety, not aware of anything else than your surroundings. It's kind of a lonely world, I think, but you won't feel lonely when you won't know what loneliness feels like, right?" that kind of world seemed… empty, like how he used to be once. A fake happiness, where inside you hid all your pains and memories in order to blissfully forget and just live every passing day.

That's what his life used to be like. Lonely. Empty.

But there was one perk. At least in that world you weren't aware of it. But he was. Every damn second of it.

"Why would you want to go in there Naruto? Anything interesting?" Dankan's smile told them he knew _exactly _what Naruto could possibly want from a world like that. The teen though was a bit reluctant at answering as his unnerved friends awaited his response.

"Kyuubi told me about two swords…" he began. "One resides within the mountains of Erebus while the other rests in the fields of Elysian. Each sword bears a curse, that is said to sacrifice one's chakra for ultimate power." They all gasped, except Dankan who kept grinning.

"Hold it, hold it." He tried to calm his friends "Kyuubi said that in that kind of ritual, all kinds of chakra can be used, meaning there is no signature or level requirement to it. The damn fox had the idea of putting its own 'harmful' to me chakra in the sword…" he said, barely above a whisper, and Dankan was barely able not to split his face in two from grinning.

"So, Kyuubi wants to posses one of the legendary blades? Erebus or Elysian? That damn demon has quite a plan." He added his own two scents and the attention turned to him again.

"You see, legend has it that when one of the blades absorbs a soul, said soul will inhabit the sword. Think of it like, Kyuubi would _become _the sword, in some way." He tried to explain. Naruto scratched his head in confusion.

"But why would the baka no yoko want to trap itself into something else?" he asked. Dankan grinned again.

"Oh? He didn't tell you that part did he?" he chuckled "As you may have noticed, the seal is failing, Naruto. What Hakai did to you on that battle ruined the complex. If the seal falls completely and you are killed by Kyuubi's harmful chakra, the demon will also vanish along with you, since when the container is killed, even free, Kyuubi will be nothing more than chakra wisps in the air. It would take hundreds of years for it to accumulate some stable form again, and I don't think he has such patience." He explained and thankfully the blonde seemed to understand.

"By entering the sword, not only will the demon gain great power, which I'd like to point out that, he _won't _be able to use, but he will also ensure the survival of both of you." He extended one stiff arm "In general, the demon seems to be planning to grant both him and yourself power through this ritual. If you become the wielder of either Elysian or Erebus, Kyuubi will have no choice but to obey the wielder of the sword it possesses, in this case you." He nodded towards the blonde

"That looks like going from one prison to another, if you ask me…" Naruto mumbled.

"True. But, Kyuubi at least won't be confined like it is in your body. The sword will _become _his body. It will be far more freedom that it had within you." He pointed out and the blonde nodded in understanding.

"So, all I have to do is get into Elysian and grab the sword, right? Leave it to me!" he stood up and thumped his chest, everyone sweat dropping at his actions.

"Ugh… didn't you hear what he just said? Even if you get in there, you'll just be lost for eternity." Sasuke was perplexed by the sudden fire in his friends' eyes, but something told he should expect such a thing from this knucklehead.

"And? Like hell am I gonna weep my ass around there was a whole eternity! I'm getting in, grabbing the damn sword and coming out in one go!" he said with the outmost confidence. Dankan couldn't help the grin that came over his face.

"Dankan-san, what about Erebus?" Hinata asked out of nowhere, getting everyone's attention back at the white-dressed man.

He sighed. More explaining to do…

"Erebus, unlike Elysian, is a whole different problem. The gates that grant entry to that land lie within Oni no Kumi, the land of demons. Guarded by phalanxes of monsters, undead and demons sprouted straight from hell itself alike, an army is required to even go near the gate, unless your power is beyond Kage level. Then you stand a small chance." He nodded "Now, within the plains of Erebus lie three mountains: The Mountain of Fear, the Mountain of Pain and the Mountain of Doom." He snickered "Catchy names, but they very well describe every mountain quite accurately." They all shivered, even as he grinned.

"One must overcome all three mountains to reach the cavern lying in the centre of the plains. At each mountain you have to overcome challenges that will either deem you worthy or discard you. Failing equals something worse than death, I assure you."

"The Mountain of Fear is as it suggests. It beholds your greatest fears and uncertainties, it unravels all your secrets and makes you feel like standing naked before a crowd with monsters gnawing at your bones while the people underneath you laugh until they die."

"Aww, cut the crap." Sakura said with disgust, but Dankan grinned even more as he turned towards Sasuke.

"Tell me, Uchiha, have you ever heard what Tsukuyomi is like?" he asked, and Sasuke nodded as he laid himself on the couch in a more relaxed manner. His time to shine in the conversation, heh.

"It seeps within your soul and plunges out your deepest nightmares, torturing you by repeating them again and again for 72 hours." He paused for effect "Each time the nightmare is repeated counts for one second." He said with a little sadistic grin. Sakura and Hinata shivered, while Naruto looked bored.

"Wouldn't it get dull after watching the same thing for so much time though?" he counted on a human's adaption instinct. Sasuke smirked

"How would you feel if the one you love was torn to pieces right in front of you in the most brutal and cold-hearted way possible? What if the one who did it was yourself? How would it feel it you killed your lover over and over again, without being able to stop yourself neither turn your eyes away from the image? And all these again and again…" they all shivered again, even Dankan, at the tone he was talking into, as if he knew what this kind of thing felt like. Naruto tried to imagine himself doing this to the one he loves…

And damn his heart ached. No, as the images became clearer in his mind he suddenly found himself nearly gasping for air. It was painful, even merely imagining it. Now think about feeling it as if it was _real _and right in front of you? He didn't know if he could stand it…

"Anyways, back to the topic, the Mountain of Fear is pretty much like a Tsukuyomi. But…" he grinned a bit sadly "the nightmare just never ends. Unless you manage to break free it will never end. And if you are too late in freeing yourself, the scars it left behind will be so great that you'll either commit suicide, become a lunatic, or merely blissfully die. The last one is the best option." He nodded.

"Now, about the Mountain of Pain. As I have heard this is a mountain of combat. If you manage to defeat your opponents, you will go forth." That sounded simple enough.

"Problem is, no one ever made it past this mountain, or lived to tell the tale."

"Then how are you standing in front of us right now?" Naruto knew his joke was a little underhanded. Oh well.

"Well, there was one guy that made it past Fear and reached Pain, but miraculously escaped death there. It would be _really _bad if you die there. As he told his comrades when he made it back alive, _without legs,_ the demons that resided in that mountain would first kill their victims, then revive them only to butcher them again, the circle going on and on as they held a grip to the victim's soul, never letting him escape even if he wanted to." They all shivered again. Hinata looked a little paler than usual as well...

"About Doom… well… no one really knows. None ever made it there, or at least never returned alive that is."

"So you see Naruto, the adventure you want to embark yourself on is a desperate one. While finding either sword will indeed save you, the risk is so high that you might end up not only losing your life, but also suffering something worse than death. And there are a _lot _of things that are worse than death, I assure you. You'd beg to die if you got caught in either Fear or Pain. Problem is, you'd beg and it won't stop. They'll keep torturing you until there's no hint of soul left in your body." He looked down sadly.

"So I advise you not to do it, Uzumaki. Live the couple of years you have left in peace. Yes you won't live a full life and probably won't see many things, but isn't that better than damning yourself?" he asked. Naruto looked away for a moment, as if thinking, contemplating…

"You're telling me… to give up?" he asked after a moment, his voice not above a whisper. Dankan sighed.

"Think of it like, choosing option number two." He tried to reason. Naruto turned his head again to glare at him.

"I can't do that, Dankan." His glare intensified "I brought my friends here at my own selfish accord!" he began, but even as said friends where ready to protest, he continued

"I can't leave them! They didn't leave me! They trusted in me! They followed me! Leaving them would be like betraying them!" he slammed his fist on the small table, the only obstacle between them.

"I prefer to burn in hell than ever give up… I already did this mistake once. I will not do so again… not again, Dankan." The determination that burned in his eyes and heart could easily rival Lee's youthful ones.

"I will try and if I fail, I'll try again! Again and again until the obstacle is overcome! I will find the keys to open the gates, I'll seize Erebus and Elysian, I'll live on! For the sake of my friends! For the sake of my… village…" he looked away as he spoke the last phrase. The others looked at him quizzically.

Dankan grinned "So you realized, did you not?" the blonde looked at him with wide eyes, and the man smiled kindly at him.

"What was the purpose of your journey until here, Naruto?" he asked, and the blonde seemed thoughtful for a long moment.

"To find a… home…" he mumbled.

"And you found it, Naruto. It's just that your home isn't here…" he waved towards their surroundings.

"But here." He pushed his pointer finger where his heart should be.

"Tomogakure no Sato never was your home my friend, and never will be. The moment you decided where your hopes and dreams lied is where your home also was. Your journey here was just a part of realizing it." He smiled, but the blonde looked perplexed.

"But… I… we… left Konoha… how can we go back?" he tightened his fists.

"First things first. For now, all you have to do my friend…" he placed a hand on his shoulders.

"Is begin your quest in snatching your destiny. And when you have done so, return to the Village Hidden in the Leaves with a wide smile and a proud heart." His grin was wide and Naruto couldn't resist grinning back.

A dangerous journey lied ahead…

Sasuke, Sakura and finally Hinata joined in as each of them placed a hand over Dankan's. The man retracted his appendage from Naruto's shoulder to place it in from of them.

Naruto grinned widely as he placed his own above of theirs.

"We swear that we will never give up. We swear that whatever comes…" he began

"We will always…" Sasuke continued

"Go through it together." Sakura added with a smile

"we will help each other out in times of need…" Hinata spoke with a small grin of her own

"And rely on each other, trust each other. For we are friends, are we not?" Naruto's grin could literarily split his face.

"We"

"Will"

"Never"

"Surrender!" the Uzumaki yelled and they all cheered as they raised their hands, confident grins, smirks and smiles on their faces. Dankan took a step back as Sasuke and Naruto began bickering between each other, Sakura adding her own two scents while Hinata watched them all with a smile.

They were four friends that would have many trials to overcome in the times to come. War was just beyond their doorstep and this little group looked on with hope and joy as they prepared for the inevitable, an inevitable that they themselves would make, a fate they would forge.

Whatever came, whatever went,

They would go through it.

Together.

XxxxX

**A/N: I actually wanted to make this a little bigger, but the scene I wanted to write afterwards just didn't fit with the spirit of these last paragraphs, or the whole chapter whatsoever. Guess it's gonna have to wait till the next one eh?**

**Regardless, I'm happy to have this chapter finished and I believe it came out better than I expected to begin with. Our heroes adventures will begin yet once again in the chapters to come! The dark villains will rise to apprehend their goals, while they'll struggle not only against their enemies but against themselves as well in order to achieve their dreams and ambitions.**

**It will be a bumpy ride from now on. Stay tuned everyone =)**


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